A Synthetic Fox
by Arrixam
Summary: Based on an American Kitsune by Brandon Varnell. Lillian Pnevma is a kitsune who ran away from home. She dreamed of running into her childhood friend and falling in love. Who would'a thunk it came true once she arrived in Los Angeles? However... maybe she fell out of the frying pan and into the fire with this one. (Cross with Synthesis)
1. Chapter 1

**Before we begin!**

I have A LOT of problems with the original material of this story. The **American Kitsune** series by _Brandon Varnell_ (or the Engulfing Silence here on fanfiction) is a series I have a lot of beef with. Having that said, there are a few things I like, such as the characters... even if some of them are literally ripped from Daneel Rush's Naruto Genkyouien.

For example, I like the main character. He's a very good main character with a lot of flaws. Even better, he's a complete mundane teenage boy. There is literally nothing special about him and I absolutely love it. And I'll keep loving it until we find out he has some sort of monster DNA spliced with his own because of some mysterious scenes regarding his father Good Varnell keeps bringing up.

Lilly, the primary love interest, is also one of the few I like. I really hated her at the start of the series but grew very satisfied when she started to mature and her character was fleshed out. She's mostly depicted as this REALLY hot girl until you see moments she just Netflix and chills with the MC. I like that there's more than her good looks and to be this unbelievable hotty the MC miraculously scores. I also like how there's a genuine reason WHY they get together.

Above all, I love the relationship both Kevin (the MC btw) and Lilly have. It's a genuine relationship with all the ups and downs. Granted it was a little rushed but I can excuse it on part of Keven's inexperience as well as Lilly's tenacity.

Unfortunately, everything else about this story is just... ugh. I'm mostly upset because the story didn't really drive me until Book 4. Seriously, it took me a year to finish Book 3 because I would get upset every other chapter and need to take a break from it.

There's a rich world-sized lore in the series. Mostly in the background aside from a few name drops. That I enjoy but wish to see more of it aside from Kevin and Lilly's tongue wrestling.

This is my review/rant of the story. I'd go into more detail but I'd like to tell Mr. Varnell himself... who has told me he will NOT be reading this story in order to maintain his professional detachment to fanfiction. Which saddens me.

Honestly, who DOESN'T want to read their own fanfiction?! I plan on being a published author for this reason alone!

Moving on; like all other stories I really do enjoy, I decided to make a story of my own out of it. And here it is. And, naturally, because I like Kevin so much, I decided to replace him with his exact opposite. Mostly to see how the rest of the cast deal with my chosen character. By no means is he out of the story entirely. I have plans for him to show up again later on with a few surprises.

Now **for those still reading this note,** I will be writing this story as though nobody has any context at all regarding both original sources (both mine and Good Varnell's). Therefore, all _American Kitsune_ and _Synthesis_ lore will be explained completely with the assumption every reader present is new to both series. If there is something you do not understand, this was intentional and will be explained in some point in time when it is most critical. However, as I am not perfect and am still learning, please do ask questions just in case I miss something. Thank you.

Here's my take on the story. And like all the others I post on this forum, don't expect frequent updates.

Either way, please enjoy.

Now then, as I'm contractually obliged to say this from now on...

ON WITH THE SHOW!

* * *

"So… you're back," Coralynne Stradt opened with. It wasn't the most eloquent way to start the conversation, but the young man in front of her was as simple as he was blunt.

"I'm back," he replied just as eloquently. He raised his mug of beer and brought it to his lips. "Not exactly the best way to tell you, right?"

A grunt escaped his lips while she tried to withhold the sigh. He was probably back in peak physical condition while she was still aching from all the bruising. Her magic had healed the worst wounds but she had exhausted her magical reserves in the catastrophe as well as the cleanup.

It wasn't the heartwarming reunion she had been expecting. But she was just glad he showed up then and there. Who knows how worse things would have gotten if he hadn't?

Now that things had calmed down, they sat in the noisy and obnoxious pizza parlor he so favored. The food was good and the drinks were always cold, but the children playing in the arcade was going to drive her crazy.

"You've been gone for a year," she continued. "What happened? With what that… _thing_ was, I didn't think you'd be back. None of us did."

"Yeah, well," he placed his mug down and adjusted his seating. "It's gone. I took care of it."

"But what happened?" she pressed.

"…I dropped the illusion," he answered, gesturing at his face. "That thing was the exact same thing I am underneath all of this. I took it head-on, the World didn't like that very much and ejected us out of this reality. We were tumbling around in I guess what you can call the… space between spaces? We were just all over the fucking place."

She recalled the incident that had him vanished. Memories replayed in her mind. Several other questions she had were answered in his testimony.

"It took you an entire year to fight that thing?" she asked next.

"Fuck if I know," his brows furrowed. "Time exists differently in another World. And when you're outside or in-between Worlds, time doesn't exist at all. I can say I was consciously aware and that it took me a few minutes to put that thing down. But how long exactly that was? Don't know.

"In any case, what took me so long to get back was… well, you can say I got lost. The omniverse isn't like a piece of land I can track. It's a constantly shifting nexus full of threads going over and under and around. I was hopping around other Worlds, trying to figure out how to get back here."

Her eyes widened. Imagine that, he had been able to achieve something even the greatest of Archmagi were unable to accomplish. He had been able to visit parallel universes. And he had mentioned this so casually as though he could do it again. As easily as walking across the street.

Knowing him, he probably could.

"What were they like?" her curiosity rose.

He had wanted to say something. It was his turn to ask her about her end. She could see it in his eyes. But, perhaps it was her curiosity, he closed his mouth and considered her question.

"Same, different, exotic, boring, and everything else you can think of," he muttered dryly. He bobbed his head around as he considered further. "There was one World where a specific breed of people were kept as pets, no better than how we treat dogs here. The pets act like pets too. And the dominant people don't believe they're intelligent. Fucking hell, I couldn't tell the difference between the two sometimes."

"So like a Planet of the Apes scenario?" her head tilted to the side. " _Did_ you find a Planet of the Apes, by the way?"

"No but I found a World of shrimp," he told her before drinking his beer some more. "It was really boring. I visited Worlds that had zombie apocalypses, Lovecraft abominations active and just as twisted as the stories, places where man had yet to discover fire but instead discovered something else and thus have their technology so vastly different compared to our own… Oh!

"I met my female self. We got our freak on before you ask."

She closed her mouth. She was just about to ask him, teasingly of course.

"And, evidently," his expression soured as he growled, "I reached as far as what is known as the Furthest Future. It's practically beyond the end of all things. And guess what? It's occupied by fucking Faeries. They made me their goddamn king. Turns out, I'm King Fucking Oberon."

She would have asked him to share further with this story. But he looked on the verge of shooting someone. She never understood why he despised the fair folk so much.

"And… how did you get back?" she shifted the topic instead.

"I hitched a ride," he said after he calmed down. The scowl still remained, however. "I found a World I once visited… a very long time ago. I have a sort of history there and knew I came from here. They were planning something so I waited until they were ready to act. When they Traveled— capital 'T'— I jumped in after them. And… viola."

He waved his hands around before leaning against the table and downing the rest of his beer. There was a silence between them as his eyes flicked up towards the television in the corner. It was a Wednesday in April. The only thing on was basketball and football— _real_ football, not that bastardized mockery Americans call _soccer_.

"Now, how are things here?" he asked.

"I almost missed you, Chase," she rested her chin off the back of her hand while propping an elbow onto the table. "I can't help but notice everything's so quiet since you were gone. I was almost getting bored. But now that you're back, I've no doubt they'll be all sorts of dangers approaching."

"You act like all those times I saved your ass was my fault," he grumbled.

Her breathing hitched in a sharp puff, the closest thing to laughter she was willing to share with him. "I'll give it a few days. A week at most. In any case, the college is doing fine. I've been busy managing it as well as finishing my schooling—"

"You're _still_ in high school?" he scoffed. "What the hell lady? You said I was gone for a whole year. Shouldn't you have graduated?"

"My duties as Archmage of Los Angeles kept me occupied," she countered. "There was a shift in power while you were gone. Miss Shotalini is no longer a representative of the city. Her absence created a vacuum both Claudia and I had to fill. I'm content with repeating my year. I'll at least get to graduate with you and John… and I suppose Janice."

"Ugh, school," he groaned while reaching for his mug. He remembered it was empty and put it back down. "I don't think I'll go back to that."

"You should," she quirked a brow at him. "Wasn't you who said you wanted to try being normal? A normal person goes to school and mingles with his peers."

"Yeah, well, that was before I actually tried it," he raised his mug while making eye contact with one of the servers behind the counter. He went back to Coralynne, "I like school. Rather, I like the educational part of it. I like learning things. It's the bitchy teenagers I can't stand."

"Those girls will be happy to see you again," she said. She didn't tease him with this. She meant every word.

He didn't say anything.

A server came with their tray of pizza and a new mug of beer for him. Coralynne blinked as she saw the girl approach.

"Thank you, Samantha," he said out of habit.

"You're very welcome," the server replied with a radiant smile. She left the table but didn't return to behind the counter. Instead… she walked out the front door.

"An entire year and I haven't seen her once," Coralynne watched the girl leave. "You show up and she's here all of a sudden."

"Don't question it," he said while taking a slice. The cheese and oil dripped onto his paper plate. He took a bite with a long string of cheese sticking to his lips. "You'll keep your sanity that way."

She didn't grab for a slice. Not yet, anyways. She'll wait until it cooled off and the cheese settled.

"Anything I need to worry about?" he asked next before taking another bite.

"Nothing that I will be worrying you with," she said, slipping into a more professional tone.

He caught it and looked up at her. His eyes shifted as he studied her.

"Chase," she began firmly, "you've done enough. You've done everything you need. Nothing can threaten you now. Let Claudia and I manage the city. I promise we will make sure everything else leaves you alone. Wasn't that what you always wanted?"

He folded the crust and shoved it all into his mouth. He chewed as he studied her some more. His face was a blank, unreadable mask. A part of it was inhuman. She forgot the boy sitting in front of her was, literally, a mask of the thing hiding underneath.

"You're right," he said eventually. His tone was in both acceptance and slight disappointment. "We've already fucked over every major faction out there. I think you and Claudia both can tackle them. And I know they'll never try anything once they learn I'm back."

"About that…" she drawled as she finally took a slice for herself. "I was thinking about _not_ telling anyone you're back."

"So you can call on me to surprise them?" he glowered.

"More like so I don't provoke the really stupid and daring to challenge you," she shot back with a glower of her own. "Chase, you're a serious magnet for trouble. Things have been peaceful since you've been gone. I would like to keep it that way at least until I graduate. The school year is almost over."

"…I'm not even sure if I'm thirty yet and it feels like I'm retiring," he snorted dryly. "Do me a favor then and keep Claudia out of the loop."

"I can't promise that but I'll see what I can do. Will you promise to go back to school?"

"Well _when_ Claudia learns I'm back, I'll ask her to get me enrolled again. I just gotta remember what I looked like."

"I think you can get away with how you are right now. You've been gone for a year. Say… you had a growth spurt or something."

She said that last part with a snort.

"Fuck off," he bit back. But, she knew, there was a hint of amusement in there.

"Do you have a place to stay?" she asked next. "If you'd like, you can stay with me until you figure something out."

"Thanks, but I don't think John will like that."

"As if you cared what John thinks."

"I'm thinking about hitting my old stomping grounds. It's out of the way and quiet. That way when the city's on fire you can't blame me."

"If the city's literally on fire I will blame you."

He grunted once more and said nothing else. They resumed the rest of their meal in silence, only enjoying each other's company. Sometimes, there was no need for words in moments like this.

0-0-0

She ran. Her celestial light did some harm but it wasn't enough. The monster chasing after her wasn't fooled by her illusions. Confused at first, yes, but as soon as it drew blood from her could it know what was real and what was crafted.

She was bleeding out. A lot. And the thing was coming closer.

She couldn't keep her human form with the amount of wounds she's taken and the youki drained out of her. Yet she pushed herself forward, driven out of panic and the necessity to live.

The thing was toying with her. Luring her with a false sense of security. She would think she got away only for its presence to reveal itself suddenly. She heard it cackling.

This thing wasn't a youkai. At least, not of any type she had heard about before. It had a human body with bleached skin and dark hair. It was almost beautiful in its horrifically bewitching way. But it was strong enough to bend iron, could phase through solid objects, and had a deep stench of blood and decay.

Besides, trying to determine what type of youkai it was didn't matter when the thing was going to kill her.

Her strength eventually reached its limits. She knew it. All she could do was curl up in the bushes and pray to Inari the thing wouldn't notice her.

She knew it never lost track of her. She heard its feet clacking against the concrete, approaching her in a slow and steady pace.

Tears fell down. This was it.

Her last thoughts were of home and her family.

"Nothing I need to worry about, she said."

Another's voice growled with heavy irritation. It didn't belong to the monster.

"Everything's under control! Let her and Claudia handle things! Goddamn woman can't even take out the fucking trash. And now we have cockroaches."

"Be careful what you say, boy," the monster spoke with a soothing voice as lovely as a siren's. "Anger me and I will have to kill you slowly."

"But that won't stop you from killing me altogether, right?" the other sassed.

"You've seen me. You are aware of what I am. I can't allow you to walk away."

"And I can't allow you to roam around my city. I've nothing personal against you. I just don't like bloodsucking parasites running around killing people. I'm usually the one who gets blamed for it."

The monster chuckled, its voice ringing like a chime of bells. "I like you. Tell you what, I'll give you a head start. Once I'm done eating this one, I'll chase after you. If you manage to avoid me by dawn, I might let you live."

"Yeah, no, that's not how it works. See I tell you to fuck off and I… You know what? Why am I even talking to you?"

There came the sound of clothes ruffling and a click. The monster started to laugh a little harder. But then came a loud bang… and the laughing stopped.

"What… is this…?" the monster croaked… before falling over.

The stranger grumbled a few times to himself before approaching the bushes. He stopped at the edge. She felt a pair of eyes glare down at her.

A heavy sigh, "Don't do it, Chase. It has two tails. You know it's not normal. You know Stradt will be right about you when shit hits the fan. Again."

A long silence.

"…Fucking hell."

The leaves rustled and she felt a pair of hands cradle her body. They were gentle, delicate to not upset her wounds. Though she whined when the pain flared. She was raised out of the bushes and cradled into his arms.

0-0-0

The next time she awoke, she was bundled up on top of a pillow on a bed. The room around her was small— or at least small compared to what she was used to. The curtains were closed, hiding the shining sun.

Her body was stiff, but the pain was gone. She looked and saw a good number of bandages wrapped around her wounds. Her youki had replenished enough to allow her body to heal on its own. The critical wounds that monster inflicted on her were nearly gone.

She almost missed the door opening if she didn't catch a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. It was silent as a young man entered. She couldn't tell if he was a teenage boy or a maturing adult with his short height. But he had a sharp face, a deep scowl on his face formed more out of habit than genuine emotion, and a pair of large dark brown eyes. His skin was tanned and his hair was short and black. He dressed in all black— a black t-shirt with black jeans. Even his socks were black.

She watched him. She breathed him in.

She knew this boy. Yes. He would be… sixteen now if she remembered right.

Their eyes met. His blinked once with surprise.

"Good afternoon," he said to her as he crossed the room. She tensed; he noticed and made sure to keep a comfortable distance from her. "I didn't think you'd be up so soon. You've slept through the morning. You're probably hungry so I brought you something."

She didn't notice what he had until he placed them down on the dresser across the room. It was a brown paper back with a golden M on it as well as a white cup with a matching logo. She raised her head and sniffed the air. Whatever was in those things smelled divine right now. She smelled cooked meat and spices.

"When you're done eating and… this," he turned to her and gestured her general appearance. He gave her a knowing look. "I'll be in the other room. Bathroom is the next door down if you need it. There're some clothes in the dresser. I don't know if they'll fit, just letting you know. Holler if you need anything else."

She yipped when he turned to leave.

He turned back around and looked at her, "What?"

Her tails swayed back and forth as she stared up at him. She raised a paw and pointed it at the bag of good smelling food.

He had a troubled expression. He released a small sigh as he crossed the room and went for the bag, opening it and pulling out the contents, "I'm going to assume you're too weak then. You did lose a lot of blood. But that's what happens when you get the attention of a vampire."

…A vampire? The monster from last night was a vampire? She couldn't believe it. She had heard about those things from movies and manga. She had even tried to read _Dracula_ … before the old language made her head hurt.

She didn't think those creatures actually existed. She never heard of a single vampire sighting within the youkai circle.

She'd have to ask Kotohime if she ever got the chance.

"Here," he said as he pulled out a small box and undid the lid. The smell of meat, bread, and cheese made her head swim and stomach growl. He placed the contents on the bedside. Second, he placed a bundle of golden crisps into the upturned lid of the box.

She knew what it was from her manga! This was the legendary hamburger and French fries combo!

She eyed the contents. Her mouth was watering. But…

As though reading her thoughts, or perhaps noticing her hesitation, he took one of the golden crisps and popped it into his mouth.

Did… Did he think she thought the food was poisoned?! No! She was just waiting for his permission!

Or maybe this was his way of giving her permission. She didn't fully understand humans.

Without further thought or hesitation, she dug in. Though no matter how hungry she was, she minded her habits. She did not spill a single speck or crumb onto the sheets nor onto her fur.

But by Inari-sama was human food delicious!

He sat there at her side, occasionally munching on the fries. When she was done, he gathered the trash and went to move. But she wouldn't let him. In gratitude, she went over and rubbed up against his side.

"…You're welcome," he said, as though struggling with a hundred different options on what to say and reluctantly choosing this one. He put his hand over her head.

She flinched. It was instinctive. While she knew who this was… the pains from last night hadn't been forgotten. Her body had reacted out of fear.

He noticed but continued. He scratched the back of her head and rubbed his fingers against her ears. Her body relaxed as sweet bliss ran down her spine.

"Right, well," he removed his hand and got off the bed. She whined. He collected the trash into the bag and started to cross the room. "Same as before. Holler if you need anything."

She yipped once more.

"You should rest," he told her in a firm voice. "Your injuries haven't fully healed. I'll be in the other room. I'll come back to check on you in a bit."

With that, he left the room. He didn't close the door behind him.

She sulked a little. But he was right. While her youki continued to work on healing her, it'll be a while before she was in her peak condition. She curled back up in a ball as she plopped herself down on the somewhat stiff pillow. It took her a few times of wiggling around until she was comfortable enough to fall back asleep.

And when next she awoke, all of the pain was gone. The room was a shade darker; the sun was starting to set.

She raised her head and noticed a bowl of water on the floor. Her bandages were also cleaned. That boy must have come in to treat her while she was asleep. He was delicate enough to not rouse her.

Her throat was parched. She didn't notice until she took her first drink, inhaling the water almost as thoroughly as with air. It wasn't until she needed that precious oxygen did she stop.

The door was still open. Her ears twitched as she heard something down the hallway. Her feet pattered against the dark carpet as she left the room to pursue the sounds.

"Oh, sure," she heard the boy growl just as irritably as he had with that… vampire. "Leave the damn healer alone with the payload. Never mind we have an entire team of DPS! Never mind _no one_ is on mic! Never mind we're on damn overtime and— What? You need healing?! You're like how far away from me?! Fuck off!"

She found him in a more spacious room connected to the kitchen. This one had a circle of couches surrounding a large television screen. He sat on one of them, glaring furiously at the screen with a strange device covering one of his ears. His fingers clutched against another strange contraption, occasionally hitting a button or two. The character on the screen reacted differently depending on what button he pressed.

She sat around the corner of the couch, hidden in the corner of his vision. She didn't want to disturb him, especially with how focused he was in this.

His eyes flicked down to her before flashing back to the screen. His scowl fell into a flat line as he stared at the screen.

He sighed when bold letterings of **DEFEAT** flashed across the screen.

"I feel like the game is twice as toxic since I've been gone," he grumbled as he leaned back in his seat. She took this as a cue to leap up and sprawl herself on his lap. He continued to rant regardless of her position. "My favorite medic has been nerfed to the point of being useless, they removed self-infliction on that one jackass _and_ gave him a second ability… and that damn snow woman is still a menace to humanity."

He pressed a few more buttons and the screen went blank.

"You seem to be doing better," he commented as he tossed the device casually off to the side of the couch.

She looked up at him. She made sure to make her eyes as large as possible.

He gave her a flat stare.

…And then he began to pet her.

"You're lucky you're cute," he grumbled with some slight irritation. She didn't think there was any hostility this time. "Tell anyone I said that and I might have to shave you."

She didn't reply. She was too busy being swept away by his touch. He knew what he was doing and knew how to do it well. But before she could fully enjoy it, he suddenly stopped.

"It's almost sundown," he said, explaining when she looked up at him. "I make it a habit to go watch it. You're welcome to join me if you want."

She leapt off of him so he could get up. She watched as he rose, straightened his clothes of any wrinkles, and made his way towards the front door. She followed, passing through another hallway full of portraits, a staircase, and a drawing room. He opened the door for her like a gentleman and she accepted it courteously like a lady.

The front porch was small enough to fit three people at most. Two steps led down to the bottom floor which led to a concrete walkway through a grassy lawn walled by a chain-link fence. To the left of the patio was another couch, this one covered in a plastic sheet.

He removed the sheet and dusted invisible contaminants off with the back of his hand. Satisfied, he sat down on the center. She joined him, taking the spot on his right while resting her head on his lap. Idly, almost like an unconscious effort, his hand landed on her head.

When she wondered if he was going to continue petting her, his fingers started to move.

His eyes were locked up on the sky. The sun was starting to descend over the other neighboring homes. He watched it without a sign of harm to his eyes.

The scowl wasn't gone. But it had softened to the point it was hardly noticeable.

"I was expecting to see the old hag," he muttered. His voice was almost distant. "She usually works the graveyard shift but I haven't seen her at all. She's probably sleeping there again. Whatever. Looks like it'll just be you and me."

She didn't mind. In fact, this was better. She didn't want any interruptions.

He remained silent as he watched the sunset. He continued to pet her in a mechanical manner. She watched as a few cars came and went while the occasional human passed by on the sidewalk. Not one of them noticed him. And if they did, they didn't look his way or greet him. Just the same, he treated them as though they didn't matter.

They remained like this until the final corner of the sun dropped over the horizon.

"I don't know about you," he said in such a way it was as though life itself was returning to him, "but I can go for some food. I'm going to start on dinner."

She wasn't particularly hungry. But she hadn't eaten since this afternoon. Besides, she wouldn't say no to anything he would make.

…Provided it was edible in the first place.

They both got up. He covered the couch before opening the door and letting her in.

The rest of the evening was uneventful. He made a linguini dish with a cream sauce, vegetables, and chicken. She joined him at the dining table; he didn't say a word but gave her an observational glance. He placed a plate of food down in front of her before setting one for himself. When he sat down across of her, they ate.

She knew he was watching him. Oddly enough, it wasn't because he was a human seeing a fox eat. It felt like he was watching her for other reasons. Reasons she couldn't explain.

He cleaned up and they moved back to the couches. A movie played on the television. His eyes were on it but he wasn't watching it. Once again, it felt like he was watching her.

She realized it had been like this ever since he found her awake this afternoon. Though he continued to pet her, there was this level of space between them. He kept himself distant from her, constantly cautious as though she would snap at him.

It was just like when she first flinched at his touch before she allowed him to pet her. It was instinctive; something he couldn't fight against.

She was confident she could find a way to break him of this.

After all, she was a kitsune.

But as the hours progressed, the comforts of both good food and his gentle touch made her eyelids grow heavy. And before she knew it, she was asleep.

0-0-0

It was early in the morning when she woke up. At some point in the night the boy had carried her from the couch and back to the bed given to her. What bothered her more was the fact the boy wasn't near her. But she heard noise down the hallway and could only assume he was up to something.

She dove off the bed and scurried her way through the house.

"Good morning," he greeted with a bit of dryness— with a voice saying such for politeness' sake. He placed a plate of food down on the table. Only one. "There's not much breakfast. I need to go shopping. I don't think that old hag has been here in a while…"

He muttered that last part while looking around, spotting things only he knew what to look for.

She went up on the chair and looked down at the plate. There was some toast and over-easy eggs. He meant it when he said there wasn't much.

When she looked up, he was digging through the closet underneath the stairs. He pulled out a leather jacket and put it on.

She blinked. She could have sworn it was gray. But when she looked again, the jacket was clearly black. It must have been the lighting tricking her.

Another thought occurred to her.

She jumped off the seat and came to him. He stopped pacing and turned with his hands in the jacket pockets. His face said he expected her to follow him.

"I'll be back," he told her simply. "Stay here and eat. You're also welcome to leave if you're feeling up to it. Either way I need to do some grocery shopping."

He reached for the door and she yipped.

"Think of this as… a test," he said as he undid the lock. "Can I trust you while I'm away?"

She understood. She sat on her haunches and nodded vigorously. He could definitely trust her. She will be on her best behavior while he was away.

"I'll be back shortly," he said in a tone that suggested he was going to say it regardless of her reply. He stepped out and shut the door behind him. She sat there, listening to his footsteps fade away.

She didn't return to her breakfast immediately. Her tails swished back and forth against the tiles at the house entrance. She thought to herself.

She was right. He _did_ keep himself at a distance from her.

Well. She was determined to change that.

She gave a very human grin.

0-0-0

"Um… sir?"

"Yeah, what?" Chase snapped out of his thoughts. "How much was it again?"

"69.72," replied the clerk.

"Goddamn prices went up," he grumbled under his breath as he pulled out a few bills from his pocket. It didn't matter if the money wasn't originally his. It also didn't matter if he could go out and get more despite how much he spent.

What mattered was the frequency he would need to go out. If he had been paying attention to the prices he could have saved some money. Although… right now he could put a few things back. But he found himself unable to choose between either the bananas or the chocolate chip cookies.

He paid the clerk. Looks like he was going to have to raid another safehouse or a couple druggies. He needed to be careful what places he would hit before Claudia would start to notice.

Also, while he was gone, there was apparently some stupid tax placed in grocery stores that charged costumers a certain amount per bag. Ten cents per bag wasn't much but…

At least the bags they used now were of better quality rather than the paper-thin pieces of shit that tore when a couple cans sat at the bottom on his way home.

He took his two bags and headed out of the store. His house— correction, his mother's house— was a few blocks away. He needed this time to consider his options regarding his most recent guest.

He considered calling Coralynne but… he _really_ didn't want to hear her say she was right. Trouble _did not_ approach him like a magnet. Even if he were to call her and she remain silent would he still be able to hear the words whisper into the back of his mind.

The hell was he thinking? Since when did he need the help of some witch? He went through how much shit before meeting her? He didn't need her help! He can handle his guest all on his own!

Now the question remained on _how_.

He doubted a simple talk would do the trick. He knew the thing wasn't human despite having his level of intellect. It probably thought differently from the regular human.

The first thing he should figure out was what it was doing last night. Specifically what it was doing in Los Angeles. Then figure out what its plans were from here on out. From there, he can decide how to treat it— whether he'll give her a care package on the way out or hand her off to someone who can escort her to somewhere safer.

Los Angeles was a den of wolves. Little foxes like her were devoured. Sometimes, such as last night, it's literal.

Once he considered his plan of action, his mind began to formulate a schedule. That vampire was a stray, someone who was able to slip through Claudia's surveillance. And if he had been able to slip through that fishnet, then there was no doubt something else had been able to get through. He would start doing patrols tonight.

But before that, he had a fairy to deal with.

"I'm home," he called out once he entered the house. He shut the door behind him and locked it. His connection with the World told him where the fox was. His extra senses stretched out, scanning the entirety of the building. Though the World told him where it was… his own senses told him it wasn't a foxy any longer.

The patter of feet on tile floor came from the kitchen and quickly approached the main hallway.

"Beloved!" sang the voice of a young woman. She pranced around before stopping a few feet in front of him. Her knees were bent with her fists clutched at her chest, debating between basking in his presence or about to lunge at him.

She was beautiful. Flawless pearly skin, shimmering red hair that fell over her shoulders and down her back, and an hourglass figure with large breasts, a narrow waist, and wide hips. Her eyes shimmered like emeralds. She was taller than him.

That last part irked him. Most women were taller than him but he had almost hoped she would at least be his height of 5'2 since she was so small as a fox.

There were two things that were off about her appearance. The more obvious one being the pair of triangular fox ears sticking out at the top of her head as well as the pair of bushy tails swishing around behind her back.

The other thing was the fact she was completely naked.

No. Wait. None of these things were important at the moment.

The _fuck_ did she just call him?

The girl shivered from head to toe. Her excitement reached its peak. She lunged at him.

It was only because the World told him nothing bad was going to happen did he not put up his hand and stop her in her tracks. It warned him of her inhuman strength but he didn't try to reinforce himself with his talents. She landed on top of him and he stumbled back a few times. She rubbed her cheek against his with loving affection.

He tried to pull his face away. She only pressed further.

"Welcome home," she said as she lifted her head. Her eyes were only inches away from his. "I missed you."

He could only stare at her.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know who I am since you haven't seen me like this before," she giggled. Her voice was like a song. She pushed herself away at arms' length to face him. "My name is Lillian Pnéṿma, but you may call me Lilly, or anything else you would prefer."

"…Charmed," he said, struggling to find better words. Or maybe introduce himself.

She gave him a coy smile, bowing her head so she could look at him through her bangs as she brought a finger to her lips. "However, I would be particularly pleased if you call me YouSexyThingYou."

Blink.

"My three sizes are 99-58-90," she added with a mix between coyness and pride.

Blink. Blink.

"Oh! Wait," she blinked as well. Her face scrunched up in thought. "You Americans don't use the Metric system, do you? In which case, my three sizes would be 39-23-35."

Slow blink. Followed by a scowl.

He damn well knew how to use the Metric system.

She giggled once more and pressed her hands against his chest. She leaned forward, pressing her breast against him too. She drew circles along his collar. "I don't really have much experience with this kind of thing, but then, given your age, I don't really think you have too much either. I'm really looking forward to learning more about you as we deepen and explore our relationship together."

"Hold on a sec," he tried, placing his hands on her shoulders and taking a cautious step back. "Look, you might think you owe me or something, but let's not go down that path."

"Oh no," she shook her head. "It's nothing like that! Although, you were so heroic last night. You came in at the last second to defeat that viscous monster. It's like you're Saito and I'm Louise right before Wardes has his way with me."

…What and who?

"I know we have just met…" she said, purring with her words. Literally purring. "But if you wish to explore the more… physical aspects of our relationship, I would have no issues if we start right now."

She stepped back and placed her hands behind her back. It did… a lot of things to her figure. Especially when she was naked.

"After all," she smiled brightly at him. "I've decided you're going to be my mate!"

He stiffened. His mind came to a screeching halt.

He knew he shouldn't have picked her up. But _nooo_ he had to take pity on an adorably wounded critter.

Coralynne must never learn of this. He refused to admit she was right.

* * *

 **Pat reon: Arrixam**


	2. Chapter 2

Lillian's tails swayed back and forth through the gap of the back of her chair. She and her beloved sat across of another at the dining table. She had watched him put the groceries away and prepare a pot of coffee on the meantime, offering her one mug. Cream and sugar were placed on the table, to which she used for her drink. She noticed he drank his coffee straight.

There was a silence between them as they drank. He took a few sips, keeping the mug held with both hands and never further than an inch away from his lips. His brows were scrunched together as he stared at her.

His eyes never strayed any further than her nose. She was still as naked as the day she received her second tail.

"Why don't we start at the beginning?" he began, lowering the mug onto the table. His voice was steady, if not a little strained. "What are you doing in Los Angeles?"

"You can tell I'm not from around here?" she asked incredulously.

"LA is the home to all sorts of supernatural things," he muttered. "Some of them organized while others are vandals. It's also the territory fought over by several different factions and gangs. As far as I know, Progenitor Angelica and Archmage Stradt are the ruling queens of the city. While they run a tight security, it doesn't fully stop the more daring from poaching on the mundane human… or the occasional stray."

The motions of her tails changed. She recalled the thing she ran into the other night and how it played a sickening game against her life.

"Los Angeles is nothing like what I've heard," she admitted. "I've always heard stories of it being a place where dreams come true."

"Did you happen to hear this from a mundane?" he asked with a raised brow.

"Mundane?" she tilted her head. "I know what the word means but… what does it mean to you?"

"A mundane is your regular Joe-Blow human," he mentioned, sipping his coffee once more. "They're your average human with no affiliation to the supernatural, no mystical or unique talents, and think they're the only intelligent life on this planet. They think people like you are purely fictitious."

"Oh, then yes," she nodded after hearing his explanation. "I've heard from the men I've hitchhiked with and from manga. Though… a lot of the manga had Los Angeles being a very dangerous place with mages and monsters. I didn't think it was actually true."

Her tails stiffened as she realized something. The words he used… She leaned forward against the table, "Wait. Beloved! Does this mean you're not a regular human?"

"I'm just as human as the next," he spoke briskly. "We're getting off track. Back to the point, why are you in Los Angeles? What was your goal in coming here?"

"Muu, but I want to learn more about you," she pouted.

He didn't reply. He kept staring at her with an expectant look.

"I didn't have any particular goal in mind…" she tilted her head back and tapped a finger on her lower lip. "I just wanted to see the city for myself! Kinda like a road trip!"

"So you're on vacation or spring break?" he asked.

"Not exactly…" she shifted in her seat. She gave a nervous laugh as she scratched the back of her head. "I kinda ran away from home."

"…Alright," he said after a moment of thought. "So what are your plans for right now? Do you still plan on wandering around the streets as a tourist or will you be going home?"

She looked straight at him. Her hands clasped together and pressed against her chest, "I have decided to make you my mate. I want to stay with you, forever and ever."

His brows furrowed further. Not in annoyance like when he yelled at the television screen. It was a troubled look like someone who didn't know what to do from this point on.

"Let's talk about that for a moment," he said, sounding more to himself than to her. And though he continued, it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "Because I saved you from a vampire attack, you've decided I'm good enough to sleep with you?"

"It's nothing like that!" she shook her head a few times. "Yes you saved me and yes you tended to my injuries. But you were so kind. You showered me with love and affection when any other boy I've come across would either scorn me for what I am or desire me only for my body."

"You were a fox most of the time," he countered instantly.

"Yes but right now you're not treating me any differently," she returned with a beaming smile. A hand went to her chest. "You always knew what I was, didn't you? My heart is beating really fast right now. I can't get the way you've treated me out of my mind.

"I've fallen in love with you."

He opened his mouth, ready to say something. It shut shortly after. He blinked a few times while his brows twitched. He ended up drinking the rest of his coffee.

"Being my mate means more than just sex," she explained. Her smile shifted to one of coyness, "Although, I'm not against going at it like rabbits whenever you want. It's just… a little more special than that."

"So… it's not just some shallow one-night stand sort of thing?" he asked in a slow tone. He then sighed, "Fucking hell. If you're looking for something deeper than that… I'm going to have to turn it down. I don't feel the same way about someone I just met. I don't believe in the whole love-at-first-sight ordeal."

It wasn't love at first sight. It saddened her how he didn't remember her. But it wasn't his fault. His memories had been altered from that time nine years ago. He thought she fell in love with him simply because of that nightly incident.

If it were anyone else, she would be indebted to him and admire him. But because it was _him_ , the feelings she thought had died down were rekindled. It was destiny that brought them together, she knew it!

"That's okay," she said with an honest smile. "I've decided. Even if you have no interest in me, I've decided I want to stay by your side from now on. But rest assured, Beloved, I'm going to seduce you with my charms before you know it."

She leaned forward again, resting her hands on her lap and pressing her breasts together between her arms. The smile she gave him was full of hunger and her eyes shimmering with desire.

"…Fine," he said, shutting his eyes with an expression of reluctance. "You're welcome to stay here as long as you need to. But if you are, there are a few rules you need to follow."

"Sure!" she was beaming as she sat up straight in her chair. Her boobs bounced around by her sudden jerk.

"I suppose there's really only one rule you need to follow," he said after some consideration. He looked away in thought before returning to her. His eyes were flat. "Don't make a mess or you will have to clean up after yourself."

"That sounds easy enough," she chirped.

"It's more figurative than literal," he went on. "While I expect you to do some of the chores around the house and pick up after yourself, I also expect you to not make any unnecessary trouble. If you need help in any of these things, don't hesitate to ask. I'm more than willing to do what I can."

He clamped his hands together onto the table and leaned forward. His eyes were piercing, "Now, Lillian, are you in any kind of trouble?"

Her mind went to one particular thing. The sole reason why she ran away from home.

"No," she shook her head. "The other night was the only serious problem I've had. Other than that… someone from my family might come looking for me. They shouldn't cause you any trouble."

His eyes bore into hers, searching and reading through her. He never blinked. Likewise, she met his gaze and gave him a sincere smile.

She could have sworn there was a tint of red and blue in her eyes. But when she blinked and looked again, they were still brown. She must have imagined it.

"I'm going to assume you have no money or clothes," he stated while looking at her. This was the first time his eyes flicked over her body. It lasted only briefly before going back up to her eyes. "I have things to do around the house today and work later tonight. Tomorrow I can take you shopping for things you'll need."

"Shopping?" she gushed. "You mean we'll be going on a date?!"

"If you want to call it that," he mumbled as he reached for his mug. His brows furrowed when he noticed it was empty. His eyes flicked over to the kitchen counter as he silently debated about getting a second cup. "For the time being, I'll see if there are any clothes that you can use. Some of Serene's old stuff should fit. We can get the rest tomorrow."

"Serene?" a small frown made its way to her lips. "Who's that?"

"A tenant who no longer lives here," he answered before rising out of his chair. He walked to place his mug into the sink. "If you're ready, I can show you what we have."

"Sure thing," she said and stood quickly. She also made sure to place her cup into the sink as well. He nodded at her and he led her out of the kitchen and towards the staircase.

The second floor was really just an angular hallway. As soon as they reached the final step was there a set of double doors to their right. He took her in the other direction, further into the hallway. They passed through a number of doors before reaching the end of the hallway. There were three doors, almost shoved in the back of the house in an attempt to hide them.

He took her through the door on the right. The room they entered was pretty Spartan. There was a dresser, a ceiling fan, a closet, and… two sets of beds. One of the beds had sheets while the other only had the mattress.

"You can use this as your room," he told her as he approached the dresser. "I'll get you clean sheets for the bed later. Clothes are in here and in the closet. Bathroom is on your right when you leave. There should be spare toothbrushes and extra soap beneath the sink."

He told her these things as though it were a practiced routine. She eyed the two beds. Had this house been a boarding home? Had he done this with others before her? The house _was_ rather large for just him and she hadn't seen anyone else around yet. She didn't know if the people in the pictures downstairs were residents or distant relatives.

"Thank you, beloved," she told him with honesty. "But are you really so determined to see me with clothes that much? Don't you find me appealing? Or… do you want me to wear clothes just so you could tear them off?"

"It's more like humans have this taboo about nudity," he muttered lowly while looking away.

It was difficult to see with his dark skin but… she was sure he was blushing. He kept a straight face but he couldn't stop his cheeks from flushing.

She giggled. He looked so cute when he was trying to act tough.

His eyes flicked to her and she stopped giggling. But she didn't hide the smirk.

"I'm going to leave you to it then," he said. He crossed through the room and went to move around her.

Her tails caught him around the waist right before he was about to leave. He looked down at them with a blunt expression, almost as if he had expected them to do this all this time. Those eyes of his flicked back up to her and gave her the same look.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay and help me sort out all the clothes?" she teased, wrapping one arm under her bust while pressing a finger to her cheek. She tilted her head. "I haven't fully recovered. I might need your help putting some things on."

His brows fell into a flat line. Gently, he began to undo the grip around him by her tails. She let him.

"You seem to be doing fine," he told her with dispassion. "There are a couple of things I need to do around the house. Give a shout if you need anything. Hopefully I'll be done around lunch time."

He left her alone after that.

Lillian sulked as she stood alone in this white room. Her desired mate was going to be a real challenge. He was unlike all the other boys she's come across in her Great American Journey. The boys she met across the states were practically drooling all over her. He, on the other hand, was hardly looking at her.

She would have thought he batted for the other team if she hadn't caught that blush.

Her eyes went to the dresser. She knew clothes were just as good as a weapon in the art of sexuality as was nudity. She just needed to make sure her weapons could be used by what skills in allure she knew.

And, come to her surprise, the amount of clothes this Serene person left behind were within her skillset. Lillian pulled out tube tops, spaghetti straps, blouses, sundresses, veils, and mini shirts. The bottoms were either thigh shorts or miniskirts.

The panties were also impressive. There was a lot of pink and black sets made out of either silk or lace. Some of it was flashy while some others were contemporary.

There wasn't a single bra no matter where Lillian looked.

What astounded her the most was how everything fit. Whoever Serene was… her boobs were just as big as Lillian's. None of the shirts were uncomfortably tight, or at least tighter than they were originally designed to be.

Her mind began to wonder. Who was Serene? Lillian was sure she didn't see any pictures of any females in the house aside from a middle-aged woman. But that woman was petite and didn't have the figure for clothes like these. Her beloved said Serene was formerly a resident of this house.

But what did that mean? And what sort of relationship did this mystery woman have with her mate?

She would have to find out at some point. In the meantime, she chose to wear a mini shirt and thigh shorts. She had to adjust the hem of the denim so her tails could stick out.

The overall outfit was simple but sexy. The fabrics hugged all her womanly assets while showing the flawless skin of her thighs and belly. She could work with this.

She looked around. The room looked like the dresser had exploded. Clothes were scattered everywhere. She remembered the one rule of the house and made sure to put everything back where she found them. Her hands grabbed things while her tails grabbed onto others, increasing the speed of her work. She finished sorting, folding, and placing everything away in a matter of minutes. Only then did she exit the room to go look for her beloved.

He wasn't in the house. She heard something loud coming from the back of the kitchen. She spotted him outside through the kitchen window. She leaned against the sink as she watched him roam around the backyard, pushing a lawnmower across the grass.

An idea came to her. She rummaged through the kitchen, opening cupboards until she found the one with the glasses. She grabbed one and went to the fridge. Inside she saw gallon pitchers of milk and water, bottles of fizzy drinks, a carton of lemonade, and cans of soda.

She reached for the lemonade while placing the glass on the other door of the fridge, right where the freezer would be. There was a nozzle for dispensing water and ice. But as she pressed against it, none of the ice was pouring out. She opened the freezer and checked within. No ice.

She frowned. There wasn't an ice tray either. She would have to give him the beverage as is.

A moment later, she stepped outside with a tray carrying the glass of lemonade. He had just finished dumping the contents into the green trash bin before snapping the sack back onto the lawnmower. He saw her approach as he rolled the lawnmower off the grass.

"That for me?" he asked as he eyed the beverage.

"Yes," she said while extending the tray for him. When he took it, she offered an apologetic smile, "I wanted to chill it but there's no ice."

"Yeah, the ice machine doesn't work apparently," he grumbled as he downed the drink in a few gulps. He placed the glass back onto the tray. "I've gotta figure out what's wrong and try to fix it. Fuck if I know how but… someone's gotta do it. Thank you anyways."

"You're very welcome," she said with a beaming smile. "So… what do you think about my outfit?"

"Looks good on you," he said in such a way it was as though he were commenting on the weather. "I'm surprised it fits you. You're a little taller than Serene. Then again… most of her clothes were pretty cut."

"Thank you, beloved," she smiled brightly. "I was just as surprised. And I really like the style she has. What kind of person was she?"

She _may_ have asked out of pure selfishness. Something didn't sit right with her about this other woman.

"A nun," was his reply.

"A… nun?" Lillian blinked.

He nodded back, "She was hiding. She'd stick out horribly if she were dressed in that penguin suit so she dressed like… this. At least, that's what I want to believe."

It was a little relieving knowing the woman who used to live here was a woman who swore off all sex in the name of their god. She was almost afraid Serene had gotten her claws in her mate before she could.

"I'm going to be a bit longer," he spoke up as he looked around the backyard. "The old hag either fired the gardener, he's being lazy, or she's crazy enough to try and do things herself. Either way, this place is a mess."

"So you won't be free for lunch?" she asked.

He considered something to himself for a moment. "I suppose I should call for a pizza for you. I should have enough money left over for one."

"In that case, how about I make lunch instead?" she offered. "That way you can work to your heart's content and not have to worry? And then… maybe we can eat together out here?"

She spotted a pair of wooden chairs and a glass table off to the side. They looked neglected but would suffice if they were properly cleaned.

"Only if you're okay with it," he shrugged. His eyes widened and he raised a finger in a hurry, " _AND_ if you know how to cook and not burn my house down."

"I'm not an exceptional cook," she admitted. "But I know how to cook a few simple things. Kotohime taught me the basics."

"Well then," he gave a sigh of relief. "I would appreciate it if you made lunch. I don't have any preferences so have at it."

"I'll get started right away," she said before returning towards the house.

He said nothing else as he went back to work. His eyes were on the flowerbed at the edge of the yard.

Nearly an hour later, Lillian stepped back out with a tray of paninis, homemade potato chips, sliced fruits, and two glasses of lemonade. There was also a tube of hand wipes she found beneath the kitchen sink for him. When she stepped out, she saw the table and chairs had been washed and scrubbed clean. Although, since the chairs were made out of wood, they were still drying in the sun.

They ate together standing up. She mostly listened to him grumble about the work he needed to do around the house and how much his mother— _the old hag_ , as he put it— neglected the up keeping. The garden was the first step. He needed to fix a few things in the structure, some appliances that needed to be repaired or replaced, and general cleaning.

"I plan on stopping around sundown," he told her. "You're welcome to join me again if you want. After that, I'm going to be stepping out."

"I would love to watch the sunset with you," she sighed with anticipation. "But as for after that… do you mind if I go out with you?"

"Yes," he said without hesitation. "I'm going to work."

"Eh? More work?" she nearly groaned.

"This," he looked over his shoulder and at the backyard, "is more of a chore. This is my home and it needs to be taken care of. I need to go out tonight so I can have cash. You know, for things like tomorrow. We can't go shopping if I don't have money for it."

She pouted but understood.

"When will you be back?" she asked next.

"It's best you not wait up for me, if that's what you're asking," he told her. "I don't know when I'll be back. I just know it'll be before sunrise."

"Sunrise?" she blinked. She remembered how he was up earlier than her this morning. "Then… you'll be going to sleep right after? I don't mind waiting up for you that long."

"You should," his brows furrowed. "I don't sleep. I plan on going out no later than ten. Traffic in LA is annoying as hell. Early morning and late afternoon is just god-awful. I want to get done before everyone gets off of work. That's when the traffic is just unbearable. In any case, we're going to have a long day. You should sleep when you can."

"Beloved, I should tell you the same thing…" she mumbled. "It's not healthy to stay up for that long."

He took a bite out of his sandwich. He chewed while eyeing the quality of the meal in his hands. He glowered at it as though it had offended him.

Finally, he gave a long sigh. He grumbled sourly, "I'll make sure to come home early enough to get some sleep. But I'm still waking up for the sunrise. Just letting you know."

He shoved the rest of the sandwich in his mouth and chewed with malice. He looked away with his brows falling into a flat line. It looked like he was sulking.

"Beloved, you're so cute," she giggled. "You're almost like a tsundere."

"Yeah, I've no idea what that is," he shot her a look.

"Oh, it's nothing, ufufufu."

"Right, well, thanks for the meal," he almost growled as he brushed his hands together to get the crumbs off of him. "I'm going back into the fray."

"Do you need any help?" she offered.

"It's fine; you're a guest," he waved a hand. "Just do me a favor and clean the kitchen, I guess. Everything you need should be beneath the sink. Other than that, feel free to use the TV. I'll be back in two or three hours to shower."

As he walked away, he didn't see the mischievous grin she bore.

The shower. It was the time when people were most vulnerable in their naked glory. It would be the perfect time to ambush him. She would start innocently like offering to wash his back or something, convince him to let her in, and then she would jump him.

Of course, things didn't go according to plan.

Hours later at the promised time, she listened for the signs in the other room. She heard the shower run, clothes being slipped off, and the drawing of the curtain. It was her time to strike!

But as she reached for the knob on the door, there came a sudden click.

He had locked it just as her fingers graced the copper knob! As if he knew she was going to do this!

"B-Beloved?" she knocked. Her voice _did not_ squeak or break by this surprise. Nope. "Would you like me to wash your back for you?"

"No thank you," she heard him on the other side. "I have a brush for things like that. I'll be out shortly. I don't like taking long showers."

"O-Okay…" she sulked further with disappointment. Her plan had failed.

Truly this was going to be a challenge. But she won't give up!

0-0-0

He left in the evening and she was determined to wait up for him. She had plans for his return. So she sat in the living room couch and watched television, streamed a few movies, and played on his game console. That last part was a real challenge of figuring out how the contraption worked. It was another crusade altogether trying to figure out how to play the various games he had on the system. She never played a video game before in her life.

Just as he had promised, he returned a little before the darkest hour. While he had left on foot, he had returned with a vehicle. She heard it approach and cut off at the front of the house. A few seconds later and he entered the house.

Her eyes were closed as she lay sprawled on the couch. The television was still on but glowed blue with nothing connecting to it. She listened to him approach, stand near her as he observed the situation, and moved around some more.

He turned off the television and covered her with a blanket from the closet. Only then did he climb up the stairs and leave her.

She raised her head, her ears perking up as she followed his footsteps above. She listened intently until the noise stopped.

She got off the couch with the blanket still over her shoulders and followed after him. Her footsteps were silent compared to his. She moved down the hallway on the second floor in pursuit of the last place she heard the noise. She stepped through the door directly across of the one he gave her.

The room he was using was a little more decorative than hers. While it had the standard furnishings such as a bed and dressers, there was a night stand with a lamp and knickknacks, posters of movie villains and anime characters, and a television with another gaming console hooked up in the corner.

The bed wasn't set. Instead, a single sheet had been thrown over it. Her beloved lay sprawled on top of it with one arm over his eyes. His breathing was even and deep.

She tiptoed inside.

Something… didn't feel right. Just as she had been watching him while pretending to sleep, it felt the exact same way. But there was no doubt he was asleep. The exhaustion of a long day had him out cold.

She had no problem climbing onto the bed. She looked down at him on all fours. Slowly and steadily, she lowered herself down until her legs were over his, a hand on his chest, and her head resting on his shoulder. She threw the blanket over the both of them.

She sighed and fell asleep. A just as long day exhausted her.

Little did she know a glowing icy blue eye peered down at her through the crack of his arm. As soon as she fell asleep did it shift into a dull brown color. The eye was shut right after.

0-0-0

"Yeah can I get four Sausage and Egg McMuffins?" her beloved spoke at the display screen they drove up beside. "And can I get one coffee— black— and…"

He turned to her and asked, "What do you want to drink?"

 _"Holy shit,"_ the voice in the monitor spoke with heavy surprise. _"Captain?! Is that you?!"_

"Fuck off with that shit!" he spun suddenly and snarled. She was sure fire would have breathed out of his mouth.

 _"Oh my God! Captain! It is you! I didn't know you were—"_ there came a buzzing sound followed by a few taps. _"I mean… will that be all for your order, sir?"_

"Can I have an orange juice?" Lillian asked when he stuck his thumb her way in a silent question.

"One orange juice," he turned back to the monitor.

 _"Your total will be in the first window, thank you,"_ the voice spoke stiffly and then clicked off.

They left the house earlier than previously stated, after watching the sunrise on the front porch and showering. She was a little groggy at getting a few hours of sleep but wouldn't let it bother her. After all, her beloved didn't show a single sign of fatigue. She had no right to complain.

He had asked earlier if her kitsune features— those being her ears and tails— could be hidden. He brought out a few hats and overcoats just in case. She showed him they could be hidden through an illusion every kitsune knew almost instinctively.

 _"It's kinda uncomfortable,_ " she had explained. _"Kinda like wearing a piece of clothing that's too tight. It takes a conscious effort to switch but it's more comfortable having them out. We only hide them when we're contorting with humans."_

They skipped breakfast despite her offering to make it. He said he wanted to grab something on the road. And here they were, driving behind a line of cars at the same establishment that had the golden M.

"Do you know that person, beloved?" she asked.

"Unfortunately," he grumbled with his knuckles tightening along the driving wheel. He didn't explain any further.

When it was their turn to pay and receive their food, he had a few bills ready and the window slid open. A young man his age dressed in bright red popped his head out.

"It is you!" he said.

"Michael," her beloved gave him a flat look as he extended the bills. "What are you doing working here? Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

"Shouldn't you?" the boy gave a toothy and excited grin as he took the bills. "I can't talk much. My boss's already yelled at me. Hold up while I get your change."

The window shut. Her beloved tapped a few fingers on the wheel as they waited.

Shortly after, the boy came back with a holster for their drinks and bag of food. He handed them over, who then handed them over to Lillian. Her beloved took another set of bills and coins from the boy.

"I put a few hash browns in there too," said the boy in red. "Coralynne knows you're back, right? Gotta say, Captain, I'm digging the corvette. If you're coming back you might as well come back in style. But, uh, should Claudia be jealous about the babe beside you?"

Lillian tensed.

"Don't tell Claudia I'm back," her beloved growled.

"I ain't touching that bomb," Michael put up his hands and gave a light laugh. "Enjoy your day, _Captain_. I'm looking forward to the next mission. Things have been boring lately."

"Haven't you heard?" her beloved adjusted his sunglasses. "I'm retired."

They drove off after that.

"Who's Claudia?" Lillian asked with a level stare.

"Progenitor Claudia des Angelica," he answered as he drove. "One of the recognized queens of Los Angeles alongside Archmage Coralynne Stradt. There's no need for you to get jealous. I work jobs for the both of them. I was Claudia's Grave Keeper before our contract was annulled."

"So… she's your boss?" she asked.

"Was," he clarified. "My job description was to make sure she wouldn't get killed via sunlight when she slept. She's a vampire— a Progenitor to be exact. It means she's the first generation of her specific breed and holds some influence in the vampire courts. I haven't worked for her in over a year."

"You worked for a vampire?" she asked, recalling the thing that attacked her the other night. "Beloved, what exactly do you do?"

"The role of Grave Keeper typically goes to one of their thrall," he said. "Those are humans or familiars who have a taste of their blood and are enslaved by it. I was under a contract instead. I was mainly hired because this little human ability to walk in daylight… and the fact I played games with her online before learning what she was."

She blinked. He was hired… simply because he played video games with… a _vampire_?

She was still trying to wrap her head around the idea that vampires existed. Sure, just as there were many different breeds of youkai she can accept there would be just as many monsters in foreign mythologies. But she was having difficulty wrapping her head around a vampire wearing a headset like her beloved and shouting commands at a luminescent screen.

"Can I have my sandwich now?" he asked with a sideways glance. "And my coffee? We've got a long day ahead of us."

"Oh, yes, sure," she muttered as she sorted everything out. The first thing she did was hand over his coffee, to which he took a long drink of with several gulps. Inside the bag were four wrapped bundles and two sleeves of… croquettes? They were in the shape of croquettes and smelled like croquettes. Regardless, she gave one of each to her beloved.

He ate while he drove. Sometimes using his knee to steer the wheel whenever he needed his other hand to handle the food or drink his coffee. His driving wasn't perfect as they narrowly missed other vehicles twice. He stopped steering with his knee after that.

"Do you like AC/DC?" he asked when something specific started to play on the radio.

"What's that?" she asked.

He took his eyes off the road to look at her incredulously. She blinked and shirked away by that stare. It felt like he was looking at some sort of alien creature that needed to be dissected.

She didn't notice he had been able to drive without looking.

"Educate yourself," he said while turning up the radio. Heavy whining and thunderous beats boomed on the stereo system. Someone began to sing— scream more like.

And then, her beloved sang with them. It was the first time she saw him smile and show something other than a scowl.

She clapped when it was over. He had a good voice. It wasn't like the high-pitch tone of the singer on the radio, but it held a deep baritone that was well on its own.

The smile dropped. He turned to her and said steadily, "Tell no one about what you saw."

"I won't tell a soul, beloved," she told him as she sipped on the last dregs of her orange juice. "Ufufufu."

They drove for a half-hour on the highway before he told her to look out the window on his side. She did and gasped. She leaned over to get a better look.

They were right next to the Pacific Ocean. It wasn't all that much different from the ocean she grew up next to, but there was something magical about it. Here was proof she had crossed the entire country and reached the other end. It was beautiful.

They kept driving, got off the highway, and drove along a few streets. She kept glancing towards the ocean no matter what direction they went.

Soon, they drove into a large concrete structure built specifically for parking cars and got out. They threw out their trash in one of the bins by the elevator, took the stairs instead of waiting, and began to walk through the sidewalks.

She grabbed his arm with both of her hands and pressed herself against him. He glanced at her once before continuing to walk.

They went around the block and entered an outdoor shopping pavilion. Her breath was taken away by how many people were roaming around along with the things that were displayed in the windows of the shops. And it was so close to the ocean she could smell the salty air.

"Welcome to Santa Monica," he said as he looked around with his hands in his pockets. "Well, Lillian, where would you like to start?"

She was amazed. Everywhere she looked she wanted to explore. She knew he had done this for her. It was special. There was no doubt other shopping districts near his house and yet he had traveled this far just for her.

Really, deep down, despite his cold front, he was a big softy.

"That one!" she said and pulled him along. Her excitement got the better of her as she pulled him towards one of the stores that caught her eye. He didn't show any signs of clumsiness by her sudden pull. If anything, he kept up with her hasty movements.

They went around from shop to shop. He indulged her childishness and selfishness by letting her have free reign with whatever she wanted. Be it clothes, accessories, and—

"You might want this kind of blush," he told her on one particular store. He showed her a pack of makeup. "It goes well with your skin complexion and raises the color in your cheeks. Anything else will make you look like a damn clown. I don't think you need mascara; your eyelashes are already long and thick enough. Hmm. Maybe some eyeliner? Your eyes are a really vibrant blue so having something like that will make them really pop out. I'd recommend this one— it's subtle and not too dark for those really bright green hues."

"But… I don't wear makeup," she said once she found the chance to speak. Really, he went on for a long lecture about these human tools.

"Goddamn that's unfair," he said while looking at her with an evaluating glance. He was seeing her in a new light and noticing her words were true. It made his scowl deepen with irritation.

She didn't want anything like this either. She wanted to win him over through her own natural beauty. It would be a sin as a kitsune if she relied on any sort of aesthetic instruments to woo him.

They moved on. They walked through the boulevard, taking as much time as they wanted per each shop. She tried on an assortment of clothes— stepping out and displaying what she was wearing for her beloved to evaluate. She meant to tease and stimulate him… only for him to give criticism on how her outfit works as a whole and sometimes recommending what she should wear.

It didn't matter if she was the apple of desire in every store! Even the queer sales clerks were looking at her! But her beloved looked at her with a completely unbiased eye!

 _Finally_ , they reached the lingerie shop. Here was where she would shine. They looked around, she picked a few things, and she went into the dressing room while her beloved waited on one of the seats.

She threw back the curtains and showed her the red lace lingerie. She winked and struck a pose at him, making sure her breasts were pressed together, "Well, beloved? What do you think?"

Everyone in the shop stopped and stared. The shoppers and clerks, who were all female, dropped what they were doing and gawked at her. Many of them had a heavy flush. Some jetted blood out of their noses and passed out. But her beloved?

His eyes darted up and down at her figure before answering, "I think green works better for you. Red makes you bland and boring. With your hair red, too much of the same color takes away what you're trying to flaunt. There was a green color with the same model."

Bland and boring?! Five people going into shock via blood loss can say otherwise!

"You'd want a contrasting color," he went on as though reading her thoughts. "You have fair skin so having something dark makes you stand out. But you don't want a color that doesn't go with your features— like blue. Pick green or black. Green really makes your eyes stand out while black draws attention to your skin. They'll look at the contrast and notice your tits and ass… which I'm assuming is exactly what you want?"

He gave her a knowing look. He knew she was doing this to get a reaction out of him.

Her latest attempt had been a flop. Nevertheless, he purchased her a number of brassieres and panties based on his own recommendation per her request. They walked out with a few more bags on their growing pile.

They stopped for a moment at a hobby shop. Here they sold toys, puzzles, and models of vehicles. Her beloved had been the one to drag her in with as much gusto as she had towards any of the clothing shops.

"Look at that monstrosity," he said as he pressed himself against a glass display case. "That's a fully constructed Lego replica of Darth Vader's Executioner ship. You probably don't know what I'm talking about but goddamn is it beautiful."

He then gripped his hair with his eyes widening, "Oh my God, I missed Episode VII. I never got to watch it. Remind me when we get home to find it online. Goddamn that thing better be better than the prequels."

She eyed the toy on display and looked at him, "If you like it so much, why don't you buy it?"

"Because it's only a custom completed set. The official Lego set is a sellout. The one right here was made by an artist who used more than 3200 pieces to make it as authentic as possible. As beautiful as it is, I want to build it myself."

She didn't understand but she admired the amount of passion she had for the article. Eventually he forced himself away from the item and they roamed around the store. He spotted a few things and explained their origins while she spotted a few model figures from the manga she read. He ended up buying her one of the figurines.

She kissed his cheek for it. He blushed and swore up a storm, telling her to never do something like that again without warning.

She could only giggle and make a promise he knew she never intended to keep.

When they stepped out of the shop, he frowned. He looked around and spotted one of the many clocks placed at the center of the street walkway.

"Fucking hell," he growled while scratching his head furiously. "Even if we leave now… we'll get swamped with traffic. Dammit all… You know what? I'll take you to the pier. We'll spend the rest of our day there while we wait for the traffic to die down. You fine with that?"

"You mean I get to spend more time with you on our date?" she asked with wide eyes.

He gave her a flat look but sighed by the sight of her sparkling eyes, "Yeah. Let's at least take what we got back to the car. That way we don't have to carry everything with the entire time. Come on."

She latched onto his arm while he carried everything. There were probably twelve bags full of things for her. Despite seeing a few things that intrigued him, he hadn't bought a single thing for himself. Every one of the bags were full of her own things she picked from the various shops.

They returned to the garage and reached the car. He put everything into the trunk… but then looked at one particular corner of the level.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said, blinked, and tilted his head. "It's funny how that's not a lie. Whatever. Let's get going. The pier isn't far from the shopping center. I think you'll enjoy it."

His eyes were still locked on whatever he was staring at previously. She tried to look at what direction he faced but couldn't spot anything.

His hand reached for hers. Her breathing hitched and heart skipped by his touch. This was the first and only time he had initiated anything on his own. She almost squealed.

He led her back towards the stairs while holding her hand. His head glanced towards the side once more before looking back at his pathway.

0-0-0

The Santa Monica Pier was a single walkway made out of wood that was able to support an entire carnival on its own. There were rides, attractions, and games stationed all around it. Lillian had never experienced anything like this before and delved into each and every aspect of the area.

She rode her first roller coaster, won her first carnival game, and ate her first chocolate-fried-bacon all in a single day.

At the end of the day, during sundown, they enjoyed their time together at the Ferris wheel. Her beloved had managed to convince the operator to stall for this moment. She leaned against him as they stared off into the sunset across the ocean horizon. The moment was magical as the sky was tinted orange and the water sparkled like diamonds.

She clutched the Easter Bunny Domo he won tightly against her chest while holding his arm with her other as they walked back towards the car.

When they reached their level… something was off. The world around her felt more quiet than usual. The human presences suddenly vanished. It was as if they were the only beings left in the entire city.

"Beloved, wait," she told him.

He didn't react. He stopped walking before she told him anything.

Someone stepped out from one of the pillars. It was a lanky person with clammy skin and dark hair. Their eyes were red. They dressed in baggy clothes including a thick jacket with the hood drawn.

"There you are," said the figure, a girl based on her voice. "You are the one my master tracked last. Tell me, how did you survive his hunt? What was it that killed him?"

Lillian took a half step forward, making sure she was in front of her mate. Her eyes were sharp as she stared down at the figure, "You're with that vampire? It was a vampire hunter who killed him. I have nothing against you."

The think in front of her tilted its head. It didn't have as thick of a stench of blood as the vampire that attacked her before. But it still rank with it. Perhaps it was a lesser rank of vampire?

Meanwhile, she felt the eyes of her mate observe her just as much as the creature before her.

"Name him," the figure demanded with a hiss. "Name the hunter and I will let you go."

She gripped tighter around her beloved. Her heart was pounding. The thing in front of her was dangerous, but by Inari she was going to protect her mate no matter what.

"I don't know his name," she said. "He came and attacked that vampire. I never got a look of his face nor did he announce his name. I only know he used a weapon that rang like thunder."

The thing in front of her was still. Impossibly still. She almost believed she had been speaking to a statue before the thing's shoulders began to twitch. It was laughing.

"Then you are no use to me. No matter. I will drain you of your blood and reap your memories. I will see what else you are incapable of telling me."

Something cold shook through Lillian. Her head snapped around. She felt the presences of several others in the vicinity. When she looked, she spotted several pairs of red eyes glowing in the shadows. There were others hiding in the corners of the lot, only now making themselves apparent.

Fear shook her. But with it came conviction.

She bore her fangs. Her hands became claws. Youki surged through her as her kitsune features sprouted out. Her tails and ears popped out. It got a stir out of the main figure in front of her.

"Come any closer and I'll burn you to ash," she hissed back. She raised her hand and channeled her youki through her arm. A small sphere of light shone through her extended grip. **Celestial Light** might be the bare basic of her techniques, but it had been proven to harm the monster that hunted her before. The things before her, while plenty, didn't stack up to the vampire she ran from.

Still, she wasn't confident she could tackle them all on her own. There were a lot of them. However… she would carve through all of them before any of them reached her mate.

"This is all of you," her beloved said with a voice that echoed throughout the level. He stepped forward to stand at Lillian's side. Something red and blue glowed behind his shades. "Good. I've seen all your faces. You will never be able to hide from me now."

He plucked his shades off. His left eye was blue while his right was red. And they glowed bright enough to leave a shadow on his face.

One of the figures wailed.

"Him?!" they shrieked. "Angelica's Grave Keeper?! You didn't say…! I can't stay here!"

The one pair of eyes turned and dashed away faster than the human eye could track. They disappeared in a trail of black mist. The rest glanced at each other in confusion.

"Quiet!" barked the one who first appeared in front of Lillian. "He's an imposter! You all know that man has been dead for a year! This boy is a vanilla human. Can't you smell it? His only defense is the fox spirit."

"I'm gone for a year and the whole county goes to shit," her beloved muttered as he reached for something behind him. He had to lift up his shirt to pull out… a pistol.

"Beloved?" Lillian gawked at him.

"Humans," snarled the thing with annoyance. "When will you learn your toys won't have any effect on us? We are immortal. Bullets won't kill us!"

"If I had a nickel for every time…" her mate shot a glance after checking the contents of his gun. He pointed the barrel at the one speaking. "Your so-called master laughed too. Right before I shot him. Let's just get this over with. Lillian Pnéṿma is under my protection. Do anything against her and you will have me to answer to."

The thing scoffed.

Her beloved gave a flat look before squeezing the trigger. A thunderous roar came from the weapon in his hands. The thing meters in front of them swatted the bullet out of the air instantly. They all saw it hit another pillar elsewhere.

But then the creature flinched, grabbing onto its wrist with its face twisting in agonizing pain. It bared its fangs as it released an unholy howl. The hand turned black while veins pulsed and throbbed up its arms.

It fell forward, falling flat on its face. It didn't move.

There was a sterilizing silence within the vicinity.

Suddenly, the presence of isolation vanished. It was as if human activity resumed as the elevator rang and people stepped out and onto the area. Others climbed the staircase.

The dozens of eyes surrounding them had vanished.

"Let's go home," her mate said as he tucked the weapon away before anyone else could see. He said these words so casually, as if what he had just done was no more than the chores he performed around the house.

Then he added, "You know, before anyone else sees the corpse in the B lot. Just saying."

It was his turn to take her hand and drag her along. By the time they reached the car and was driving way did they hear the screams of chaos. Someone had stumbled upon the body he had shot.

Her beloved didn't give it a second thought as he drove off.


	3. Chapter 3

They arrived back to the house half an hour later. There had been no conversation between them other than a few comments about their day and what was needed to be done upon their return. He helped her carry the several bags up to her room and left her alone to sort everything out.

Once done, she came back downstairs to find him in the kitchen. The smell of grilled meat and spices tickled her nose. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until the smell hit her. All they had today were the breakfast sandwiches and a few sweets at the pier carnival.

He didn't say a word as he filled two plates of grub and lay them down at the table. She joined him at her usual seat.

"This smells delicious, beloved," she said as she looked down. She'd never seen a dish like this before, though it was very simple. It was a bunch of minced meat covered in cheese on top of… some sort of bread as thin as a disk.

"They're tacos," he told her after noticing the look in her eyes. "They're very quick and simple to make. It's a little late to be making something heavier."

"No, this is good," she shook her head. She smiled at him as she picked up one of the bundles and brought it to her mouth, making sure not a single piece was wasted. She hummed with glee at the flavors. It was a little salty but she still appreciated what he made.

"Do you want anything to drink?" he asked after taking a few bites himself. He looked at the fridge. He was going to get something himself regardless of her answer.

"I'll get it!" she offered and stood before him. She moved to the fridge. "What would you like?"

"Coke," he said and then blinked after realizing something. "It's the red can on the top shelf. _Coca-Cola_."

She knew what it was. She toured around the country for some time. She was familiar with a lot of lingo humans used.

She came back to the table with a glass of coke and two glasses of water. He glanced at the soda and water placed in front of him.

"You didn't drink any water all day," she mentioned as she took her seat and sipped from her own glass of water. "The only thing I saw you drink was that cup of coffee in the morning. It's not healthy to go so long without anything."

"Huh," was all he said as he took his glass and gulped it down. He placed the empty glass at the center of the table and went back to his meal. He sipped on his soda at a gradual pace.

He finished his meal before her. He plucked a napkin from the center of the table and cleaned his hands. She didn't eat as fast as him but picked up the pace so to not make him wait. Something was making him impatient.

"…You're acting strangely normal," he commented.

"Strangely normal? Beloved, those are two different words."

"Hmm," he shrugged. "You were quiet the entire ride home."

"You didn't seem like you wanted to talk," she told him, which was true. They left the scene in a hurry and drove off. She thought they were going to drive just as hastily but he abided the rules of the road. Most of his attention was focused on his driving. He didn't adjust the radio even during commercial breaks— he had grumbled about those earlier in the day.

"You're not bothered by anything at all?" his brows furrowed.

She lowered the last piece of her meal back onto the plate. Her head lowered as she answered, "I was a little scared. There were so many of them and for a moment I wasn't sure if I'd be able to protect you from all of them. But… you really surprised me. Then again, you were the one who saved me from that other vampire the other night.

"Everything turned out fine in the end, right?" she lifted her head and gave him a smile. "You were really amazing. I thought you looked cool, beloved."

He didn't react to her words or her praise. His expression never changed as he stared at her. Observing her. Searching for something she couldn't understand.

"You should be safe from most things," he began, leaning back into his chair. "When you leave, if anyone causes you trouble that's more than your own powers can manage, just announce your name. Those ghouls should be spreading the word."

Her heart lurched at what he said.

"When I… leave?" her voice was small and unsure. She must have misheard him.

"When you leave," he nodded at his clarification. His eyes shifted as he noted her reaction. "How long did you plan on staying here?"

"Forever and ever," she said hurriedly. "With you. You're my mate."

His scowl furrowed further. He shut his eyes and gave a long breath through his nose. "Lillian, I don't know how things are done on your side, but I'm human. When we want to be with someone, we don't just latch onto them like a... Look, human relationships are first built upon consent. After that comes understanding and trust.

"I don't know you. And I don't trust you. I've spent the past few days trying to figure out whether you're trying to use me or if you're being honest. Both are just as likely to be as true as the other from what I've learned about you."

"I would never!" she gasped in horror. She leaned across the table and grabbed onto his hand resting on the surface. "Beloved, I love you very much. I've never tried to abuse you. M-Maybe I was a little selfish with the shopping today. But I've decided I want to spend my time with you. What can I do to earn your trust?"

If he had ever before, he didn't try to hide it from her this time. His eyes changed into a pair of red and blue orbs as soon as her hands touched his. They glowed dimly with some sort of innate power coursing through him. The touch of his skin became electric.

His eyes were searching through hers once. And this time, she knew for sure it was more than reading her facial expression. She knew he was penetrating through her mind and looking for something deeper. She could feel something invade her.

She met his gaze. She wouldn't hide anything from him. Not from the one she decided to be her first mate.

He blinked, his scowl furrowing into one of confusion, "I'm… your first?"

She had been right. He had been searching through her mind.

"Yes," she said, gripping his hand a little tighter.

"There were literally no other candidates other than me to be your first… mate?" his eyes narrowed this time. "Honestly. None of the men or boys you hitchhiked with? No one who might have helped you before?"

"Not one of them showed me the amount of compassion and kindness you did," she said softly. "They always looked at me with a hunger. They always wanted something from me. It didn't matter about their gender or sexuality. But you? You treated me with respect as though I were your equal. No one has ever treated me like that… Not even my family."

She wouldn't hide anything from him if he searched deeper into the meaning. But he didn't. The invading force she felt was no longer present. However, his eyes remained red and blue.

He looked away, unable to bear the look in her eyes. This much she could read into his troubled expression. His other hand tapped against the table in a rhythm. She held onto his first with baited breath. Her heart was hammering against her chest and she was sure he could feel it.

"What do you want from me, Lillian?" he asked in a low voice. He had lost all the confidence he had before. All that remained was bitterness. "What exactly does it mean to be your… mate?"

His eyes flicked over to his held hand. She didn't let go even at the silent request. Instead, she shifted her grip to something more tender and loving. He didn't pull his hand away as he watched her closely.

"I am a kitsune," she began. "For us, we find someone to mate with us either to produce offspring or to fulfill our carnal desires. But a mate is always special to us. They're more than a fling. They are a treasure we keep to our hearts to the very last of our breath. Though a kitsune might have multiple mates throughout their lives, each one will always be as special as the other. And even if I do leave, if you ever call upon me or are in need of help, I will drop everything no matter how disastrous the consequences and come to you."

She didn't look away from him. She had hidden away one vital piece of information from him. She didn't want to tell him what being her first mate meant. But, if he used that psychic technique of his on her, she wouldn't hide it. She would tell him in person if she must.

She held it because she didn't want it to sway his judgment of her.

Though his eyes searched her, he never entered her mind again.

"Goddamn you and your culture," he muttered but didn't put any malice into it. He shut his eyes as he thought. When he opened them again, his eyes were a soft brown.

"Two weeks," he told her. "That's as much time as I will need to guarantee your protection from all things in the city. You're welcome to stay here until then. I strongly suggest you use that time to try and convince me. Just know I'm going to be treating you the exact same as I have been. But I won't purposely reject your advances unless I disagree with them for personal reasons."

Her eyes lit up. "Yes! I will make sure to win you over! You'll be swooning over me before you know it, beloved! Ufufufu!"

She nearly drooled with the amount of ideas she had to seduce him. This would be the only time she would thank Iris for their… sisterly bonding.

"Since you never asked, my name is Chase," he pulled his hand free. "Use it from now on."

The sharp tone and look in his eyes made her stop giggling. It felt like this was her first sleight against him. She didn't ask for his name… because she had always known it.

"Another thing," his eyes traveled down her torso and back up to her eyes. "The one thing I like best in a woman is her charm. Sex appeal is nice and all, but I find it very bland if that's all there is about you."

Those words felt like an arrow through her heart. She lurched forward in pain.

"Now, I'm going to go upstairs and take a shower," he said as he stood up from his seat. He gathered both their plates and moved them to the sink. "We can talk about the rest later. Good night, Lillian."

"W-Wait!" she stood quickly from her seat before he was about to exit the kitchen. "I have one selfish request!"

He stopped to stare at her. He was listening.

She put her fingers together, puckered her lips, and looked at him through her fangs. It was her legendary puppy dog… erm… kit fox stare. "Beloved— I mean, Chase, can we sleep together? I promise to be good."

His brows fell into a flat line. His left brow twitched.

"…So long as those tails don't try to molest me like this morning," he grumbled before turning and heading up the stairs.

She realized something. He was susceptible to her pouty face.

She would abuse this for as much as she could.

In the meantime, Lillian threw her fist over her head and leapt up into the air, striking a pose of her first victory. Only a few more and she knew she would be able to do the dance of the two-backed beast with her beloved.

0-0-0

Upstairs, with the showering running, Chase stood and stared at the mirror. All expression was gone from his face as he stared at the figure in front of him. A thousand thoughts swam through his head. Hours of private conversation with himself in his inner world only took a few seconds in this reality.

His vessel returned to animation. Life breathed back into it.

"What the fuck did I get myself into?!" he growled as he threw his head back and tugged on his hair.

0-0-0

She awoke early in the morning once she realized the thing in her arms wasn't her mate. There was no warmth to it. When she opened her eyes, the thing she had been cuddling against had become a pillow. Based by how much of her own warmth had been transferred to it… she would have to guess her mate had been out of bed for too long.

She lifted her head and looked at the window. The world outside was gray with a few hues of orange. It was daybreak. If he was following his usual habits, he would be sitting at the front porch watching the sunrise.

How can he get out of bed so early in the morning? She wanted to curl over and go back to sleep.

But…

She hugged the pillow a little tighter while her lips pressed into a thin line. As much as she wanted to go back to sleep, this was her chance. She needed to use every available opportunity to seduce her mate. There was a time limit and she swore to give it her all.

Thus, with a little begrudging, she rolled off the bed and headed downstairs. A quick peak through the front window confirmed her beloved was sitting at the porch. She didn't join him.

Instead, she washed herself by the kitchen sink and began to make breakfast. There were more than enough ingredients in the fridge for what she wanted. And, by mimicking the actions she witnessed whenever he did it, she had been able to work the coffee maker.

"Good morning, be— Chase," she sang after hearing him walk down the hallway, pretending she didn't hitch. "Breakfast is almost done."

"Good morning, Lillian," he greeted back. It was a neutral tone, she noticed. He hadn't put the same amount of emotion as she had. He hadn't accepted her. "Thank you for making breakfast… and coffee? Did you have problems figuring out the piece of junk?"

While things were settling on the stove, her tail extended to pull out a mug out of one of the cabinets. Her other tail poured coffee into it and she placed it onto the counter. She turned her head over her shoulder and gave him a warm smile.

"I just did what you did," she answered. "It seemed simple enough. Water, replace the filter, four scoops, and hold the button until it beeps."

He watched her tails move back to their original position. His face remained a blank as his eyes flicked back to the coffee maker and then to the mug. He thanked her once more as he picked up the mug and took a few sips. After that, he went to the table, turned on the television, and flipped open the newspaper he brought in.

It didn't take long for her to finish. She placed an omelet in front of him. He looked at it curiously before folding up the newspaper. He didn't tuck it away; he merely folded it to keep reading with one hand.

"Thank you," he said once again, this time full of appreciation instead of politeness. It made her beam. "Are you not hungry?"

She sat in her usual spot, at the chair around the corner at his right. It was so she could rub her leg against his and chalk it off as an innocent accident. "Not at the moment. I'm still running on Florida time, to be honest."

"That doesn't make sense," his brows furrowed. "Florida is three hours ahead of us. It's the awkward time between too late for breakfast and too early for lunch. What time do you typically eat?"

"You mean brunch time?" she tilted her head.

"Brunch is at eleven. It's still too early for that."

"Not true," she argued back and wagged a finger. "Brunch is the portmanteau of breakfast and lunch. It originated in England in the late 19th Century and became popular in the United States in the 1930s. Quoted by Wikipedia-sensei."

"…Generally served between from 11am up to 3pm and regularly has some form of alcoholic drink," his brows fell into a flat line. "Also quoted by Mr. Wikipedia… Wait."

He looked away and blinked. He hadn't realized she had just broken through the fourth wall and brought him with her.

Her grin spread from ear to ear. The fact that he could break through the fourth wall meant they were totally compatible with each other. A regular human wouldn't be able to do it on their own and often times it would take considerable amounts of time being mated to a kitsune to reach this level. Only a few days with her and he was starting to show signs.

He grumbled something incoherent as he stabbed into the omelet and took a bite. It looked like he was pouting over making some sort of mistake but didn't say anything further about it.

"So…" she cupped her hands together and leaned forward. Her tails swayed behind her with eagerness. "How is it?"

"A lot of veggies," he commented as he looked down at his food. She didn't know whether to take it as a compliment or critique. She chose the former since he took another bite.

"I figured with all the junk food we had yesterday I should make something healthy," she told him. The omelet she made had one whole egg, two egg whites, some cheddar, and a blend of vegetables like mushrooms, spinach, grilled onions, and bell peppers. Oh. And a pinch of salt.

He continued to eat without any further comments. His eyes flicked between reading his newspaper to watching the morning news on the television. He changed to another news station once commercials ran on the prior.

She watched him. Not because she enjoyed it… well, primarily anyways. He was kinda cute with the way he munched. And she didn't want to break his focus with the way he was going back and forth between reading and watching. Really, she didn't say a word because she wasn't sure how to approach him with what she wanted.

"Beloved," she began, deciding for the direct approach. "Do you mind if I ask you a few things?"

"Go for it," he put down the newspaper and slid it away. He looked at her, "Just know I might not give you a full explanation depending on what it is."

"…You really don't trust me?" her heart sank.

"I don't know you," he said in a simple tone. "I know next to nothing about kitsune culture and habits to get a point of reference for you. I don't know whether what you're saying is true and you're really in love with me or if you're trying to use me for something. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and letting you stay here, but that doesn't mean I fully trust you. Until I have a reason for doing so, I will be keeping most of my secrets to myself. What I _can_ tell you are things you can find out on your own."

Humans… really weren't that different from kitsune after all. At least when it came to things like trust. Kitsune politics were all about charming the other party into lowering their guard and then backstabbing them. It was a constant game whether they could trust the stranger who suddenly wanted to get on their good graces.

It was another reason why she ran away.

But a mate was different. When a kitsune openly declared they wanted another as their mate, they meant it with every fiber of their being. They surrendered their guard for the other.

However… Chase wasn't a kitsune. He as human. He thought differently.

Which is why she knew she needed to be patient. She will oblige him and warm her way into him. She will earn his trust.

"I understand," she said, although she didn't fully understand. "Then… do you mind if I ask about you? Did you lie when you said you were a regular human?"

His fingers traced the rim of the coffee mug, debating whether to take a drink or not. He chose to answer her instead, "I said I was as human as the next. It isn't a lie. What I am and what I can do are both things a regular human can acquire on their own."

He put up a hand before she was about to ask her next question, "Do you know what an Acolyte is?"

"You mean… like a priest?" she guessed.

He looked away in thought, "I suppose, in a sense. They're a specific type of humans who inherited special powers by a god they call the Daydream. They have the power to manipulate life energy— that they call Aura— and to be able to manipulate a certain affinity dependent on their birth. They also have superior ocular senses compared to the average human, like the ability to see through blinding light or abysmal darkness."

He stopped to either let this soak in or wait for her next question.

"Beloved… Chase…" she pouted at him. "Getting the blessings of a god doesn't sound like something a normal human can accomplish. The gods are finicky like that."

"The gods are a bunch of assholes and horny fucks," he agreed with a nod— though that wasn't what she said. "I'm not _exactly_ an Acolyte. It's better to say I'm someone who can do the exact same things as them. They mainly call me an Accuser— someone who made a deal with their devil and/or spat in the face of the Daydream. I haven't done either, just to let you know. They just don't like me."

"How do you do that?" she blinked at him.

"Just by existing," he answered curtly. "They don't take too well with some mundane born outside their inbreeding circle getting the same powers bestowed by their god."

"No, not that," she waved a hand. "I've been trying to say and-or properly for the past couple decades. You got it perfectly!"

He stared at her, his brows furrowing further. "And/or?"

"That!" she leaned forward and pointed a finger. "No matter what I try, all I can do is get and-or rather than—"

"Stop," he put up a hand. His voice was low and full of warning. It made her freeze. "Lillian… maybe you can chalk it off as a joke to cope, but I would appreciate it if you stop poking holes at it. That wall is there for a reason."

She blinked. Her mouth fell open as her tails stiffened. "B-Beloved… you mean _you_ can break through the fourth—"

"That wall is there for a reason," he repeated with the exact same tone. He then sighed and grumbled, "I'm going to pretend this never happened. Please go back to what we were doing before."

She was astounded. He knew about the existence of the fourth wall and could break it whenever he wanted? Why wasn't he using this to his advantage?! If he knew about the existence then he could make contact with the author and potentially learn about scenes he wasn't in! The possibilities were endless! He might be able to avoid a bad ending!

But she knew he was getting upset. She couldn't understand why but she wasn't willing to ruin her chances with him so early on. She decided the past few paragraphs didn't exist."

"If you're not an Acolyte… but have their powers…" she tried to sum things up but drew in a blank. "Then what are you?"

He considered the question briefly, "I tell people I'm an Acolyte. I see it more as a title than a species. To answer your question… I was born a regular human who became an Acolyte. I won't be telling you how anytime soon."

"Are Acolytes aware of the supernatural?" she asked next.

"They are but generally only get involved with the dark forces of their devil," he answered with clinical detachment. "They involve themselves with mostly making sure the mundane remain ignorant and leave the rest of the supernatural alone. More like… they avoid every other faction like a plague. The only reason why I get involved is because the supernatural causes a lot of problems around my home and I'm not affiliated with the main Acolyte faction, the Observatory. Fuck those guys."

He growled that last part while sipping on his coffee.

"I've never heard of an Acolyte," she admitted, tilting her head and tapping on her chin. "I wonder if Kotohime has… Are there any other Acolytes here?"

"…Yes," was all he said. He had no intention of elaborating.

"You said Acolytes had the ability over life energy and… affinities? What are those?"

"Aura is your basic bitch life energy produced by, well, living," he waved a hand. "Every time you move, when you breathe, when your heart beats— these are the things that produce Aura. Technically, any human has the ability to manipulate Aura. It takes them years of hard dedication to do it, though. Usually you see grand masters of any martial arts being able to do some funky stuff. What makes Acolytes so special is the ability to access and harness it on a whim. Without brutal training."

He demonstrated by flicking two fingers her way. She felt a pressure brush across her face and blow a few strands of hair. It wasn't wind. It felt like… electric velvet.

"Acolytes use Aura to manipulate a certain affinity," he went on. "Elements and concepts, really. You have your basic Roman four elements— fire, water, earth, and wind. Then you have some uncommon ones like lightning, sound, and blood. And then you have the ultra-rare ones like time and space. So far, there are over fifty registered affinities with new ones being discovered as humanity's grasp on the sciences further. For example, some kid on the east coast was discovered to have an affinity that deals with machinery and computers."

He paused again to let this all soak in.

She had to blink and think about it. Just amazing. These Acolytes sounded so much like kitsune. While her breed didn't have more than fifty elements— which was already a tantalizing number just thinking about— there was still a good enough variety. And their manipulation with Aura wasn't that different from what she could do with youki. In fact, the two energy sources might be on in the same; merely named differently due to the cultural differences.

"What kind of affinities do you have?" she asked.

He didn't answer right away, thinking over whether he should tell her or not. "Flame and Frost."

"So you have control over fire and ice?"

His brows furrowed again. Not in agitation but in perplexity. "I've no idea why the Observatory has it officially listed as Flame. But there is a particular reason why the other affinity is labeled as Frost instead of 'ice'."

He didn't explain any further so she decided to move on.

"If you can do these things then how come you used a gun against those vampires?" she asked with honest curiosity. "If you could shoot fireballs and icicles out of your hands, couldn't you have done that instead of needing to resort to firearms?"

He didn't answer. This time he looked away and took a drink out of his coffee. It was a pretty long drink… especially when she knew he had finished it in his last gulp.

A trail of sweat ran through the back of her head. She guessed despite all his bravado and how foreboding this topic had been, her beloved wasn't really as impressive with his powers as she was led to believe. Or Acolytes in general weren't as powerful as kitsune, hence why he needed to use a gun to fight against the supernatural.

He was embarrassed by his weakness. She wouldn't rub on such a sore spot.

"Oh!" she snapped a finger as she recalled something else. "What about your eyes? Does changing your eye color have anything to do with being an Acolyte?"

"Yes," he turned back to her, eager to answer this question instead of his previous debacle. "You can tell who is an Acolyte based by their exotic eye color. You can also determine what affinity they have based on the color alone. Since I have Flame and Frost, my eyes are red and blue."

"But… isn't ice normally white? Or clear?"

"That's only because they still have air trapped inside them. True ice is blue because it doesn't have any contaminants in it."

She nodded at the explanation.

"Any other concerns you might have?" he asked as he finished his omelet.

"Just… one," she shifted in her seat. "Are Acolytes… also psychic?"

He took another moment to consider this question, "You're referring to last night. Not in the traditional sense are they psychic. I can't hear thoughts or move objects with my mind. However… Acolytes are a lot closer to being ESPers than anything else. All of our powers are determined by the state of our mind.

"When I said Acolytes have superior ocular senses, I meant it in every use of the term. Not only can they see the visible world clearer than most others, they can also see what is normally invisible. It varies from each person. Some can see colors of other spectrums, some can see spirits and elementals, and some can see the microscopic world. Now, those are the rarest and most talented of Acolytes. Most just have perfect eyesight according to the average human and the more uncommon have slightly better visual accuracy.

"But if you apply Aura to our eyes… we are able to enhance our sight as well as affect the mentality of the individual we are looking at. We can manipulate their senses, persuade them to do things they normally wouldn't, and, like what I did last night, can even get glimpses of what they're thinking of."

How… frightening. Really, the gap between an Acolyte and a kitsune was becoming less evident.

She wondered for a moment if, maybe, Inari-sama, the god of kitsune, was the same god of the Acolytes, this Daydream.

She wouldn't be surprised. Inari-sama has been known to be a trickster. He could have masqueraded as a human and had an affair with a mortal woman, thus giving birth to these Acolytes. It would explain why their abilities were so similar to a kitsune's.

She sat there and reviewed everything she heard from him. Meanwhile, he left her in peace to take his things to the sink and clean the kitchen. She would have offered to have done so but her mind was lost in the lecture.

Her beloved was truly something special. She didn't know humans could have had supernatural abilities. It was like being in an actual manga! Though… she hadn't seen him do anything special other than change his eye color and read her mind.

"There's a sweatshirt in the closet in the closet," he said suddenly as he continued to scrub. "Do you mind putting it on and then getting the door? We have a guest."

She blinked and snapped out of her thoughts. She smiled up at him, "Aw, beloved, you don't want anyone else to see me like this? That's awfully sweet of you."

She went to bed in a pink negligee with a low cut. There weren't any bottoms as she slept in her panties.

He gave her a sideways glance. There was that troubled expression again. He had no idea how to retort and decided to go back to the dishes.

She giggled as she got out of her seat to comply. She retrieved the dark blue zip-up from the closet and closed it only up to her bust. She also made an effort to hide her ears and tails.

She walked towards the door, wondering when the 'guest' had arrived. She didn't hear a knock and there wasn't a ring from the doorbell. She must have been so engrossed with her thoughts to have heard it. Only the tantalizing voice of her mate snapped her back into reality.

When she opened the door, her survival instincts kicked in.

"Hello there," smiled a very cute girl at the doorstep. She couldn't be any older than a human preteen with blonde hair pulled back by a large red bow, skin as white and perfect as marble, and a pair of eyes as blue as the sparkling ocean. She was dressed in a red blouse with some of the buttons undone to flash her modest bust and a frilly white skirt. And there was the fact the girl sat in a wheelchair and clutching onto a gift basket, having to climb the steps of the porch to reach the door somehow.

What bothered Lillian the most was… the girl's presence. This little girl wasn't human. There was a sort of pressure coming off of her that affected Lillian's extra senses. It was like she was being suffocated. It felt like she could reach out and pull back a layer of blood from the aura surrounding this girl.

"How do you do?" the girl continued, giving a friendly smile. She was aware of the impression she was making but continued to be cordial and polite. "My name is Claudia. Is the man of the house home? I'd like to speak with him, if it's okay with you."

Claudia. She knew that name from her beloved. So this was Claudia des Angelica, a vampire and ruling queen of Los Angeles.

The amount of pressure radiating off of her was on an unworldly league compared to the vampire that had tried to hunt Lillian before.

"I'm in here," the voice of her mate echoed through the doorway. "Cleaning the kitchen. You can come in."

"Well then," Claudia leaned to the side and pulled the brake on her chair. "If you will please excuse me. _Huhp_!"

Lillian took a few steps back as the girl leapt out of her chair and into the house. With complete disregard to her, the vampire headed deeper into the house with the basket in her hands.

Chase came around the corner before she entered the dining area. Claudia was a few inches shorter than him due to her apparent physical age. She looked up at him, her smile beaming as she breathed him in. Her eyes looked at him up and down.

"Chase…" she breathed out with a sigh. "Can I give you a hug?"

Lillian tensed. Her heartrate began to escalate.

Her mate gave the vampire a troubled expression. He was in conflict with himself. But then, with a look of reluctance, he sighed and spread his arms out.

The girl placed the basket down by the stairway before leaping into his arms. She wrapped herself around his waist and pressed her face into his shoulder. He, in return, put his hands at her back and patted her gently.

"Get away from him!" Lillian shouted in a panic.

The two stopped and broke apart to look at her. They did, however, remain close to another.

"Lillian," her beloved looked at her calmly as though there was nothing wrong. "Can you close the door? You're letting a draft in."

"Oh, yes, sure," Lillian mumbled as she did as she was told. "I'm sorry about— THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

She slammed the door shut before marching up to the two of them. Towards Claudia in particular, who was watching her with an amused look.

But as she got closer to the thing… the pressure around her was becoming toxic. Lillian started to sweat. She instead circled around the girl until she was behind her beloved, stepped up to his back, and pulled on his shirt. It took a couple of tugs for him to get the idea and move along with her. She pulled him a couple feet away from the monster.

Claudia had a smirk of someone who was trying their hardest to not laugh.

"Lillian…" Chase craned his head to give her a look over his shoulder.

"Beloved," Lillian cut him off. "She's dangerous. I don't want you anywhere near her. I don't like the way she's looking at you. It looks like she wants to suck you dry."

Claudia's smirk fell as she squeaked. Suddenly, her face turned as bright as a tomato. She averted her gaze to the floor as she fiddled with her fingers.

"S-S-Suck him dry?!" she stuttered. "I-I-I would n-never! N-Not that there's anything wrong with you Chase. Your blood is delicious! It's better than any orgasm I've ever— WHAT ARE YOU MAKING ME SAY?!"

Claudia turned her back to them as she covered her face in her hands. If life were a manga, steam would be blowing out of her ears.

Lillian blinked. Seeing such a potent vampire act like such an innocent girl nearly shattered any impression she first had of the thing. Almost.

"Lillian," her beloved turned slightly to pry her hands off his shirt. "The trick is to be nice and friendly to the thing in the room that's capable of ripping your heart out. I'm well aware of how dangerous Claudia can be. In other words, don't poke the bear."

"…I'm not a bear," Claudia pouted like a cute little girl when she turned around. Her face was still a blushing mess but she had calmed down enough to look at him. Albeit, she couldn't look at him in the eye.

"This is Claudia des Angelica," Chase gestured to the girl. "One of the queens of the city and a Progenitor-class vampire. Claudia, this is Lillian Pnéṿma. A runaway kitsune."

Lillian continued to hide behind her beloved.

"So this is Lillian…" Claudia muttered with a thoughtful tone.

"…News spreads fast," Chase remarked.

"Faster than fire," she chirped back, regaining her smile now that her embarrassment was behind her. She picked up the gift basket and offered it to him, "Here, this is for you. It's your welcome home care package! I've had that thing for a while now and kept adding things whenever I thought of something. I hope you like it!"

He took it and examined the contents. His brows shot up as his eyes lit up with intrigue and an almost childish excitement. He didn't react any further. He moved to place it down on the kitchen counter; Lilian always being near him to shield herself from Claudia while the vampire moved herself to a seat at the table.

"The latest Star Wars… plus tickets for Rogue One?" he began to pull things out of the bundle. "There's a Deadpool movie? Some 52 comics. Huh, Killers made another album. And… what's this? Dungeons and Dragons seventh edition—"

"Live it, love it, learn it!" Claudia pointed at him with a fierce look in her eyes.

He had a troubled expression as he stared at the thick book in his hands. He placed it back in the basket. There were other things she gave him but he didn't check them out. Perhaps at another time. For now, he approached the table and pulled out a seat. He sat directly across of Claudia.

And Lillian took it as her Inari-given right to sit on his lap. She sat sideways so she could wrap her arms around his neck and press herself against him. At the same time, she made sure to never look away from the vampire.

Claudia pressed her cheeks into her palms while propping her elbows onto the table. She had an amused smirk as though she were watching a TV drama. Chase, on the other hand, had his arms spread out and his scowl hard enough to leave his brows in a straight line. He growled while scratching at the top of his head. His other hand went to support Lillian's back.

"So this is what I've been up to lately," he said as though it explained an entire novel's worth.

"Yes, I've noticed," Claudia began with her smirk shifting. She was still amused as she took in the sight of Lillian on top of him. But there was something more beneath it. "You made a mess, did you know? They found a body three days ago with a bullet wound through the chest. Autopsy says the bullet was lodged _after_ the man's death. The actual cause of death is unclear. But there are signs of organ decay, indicating the man has been dead for quite some time while something was preserving the skin and muscles.

"In other words, someone shot a vampire and successfully killed it. With a standard 9mm bullet. There's only one person I know who can do that.

"Also found on the crime scene were traces of blood. Both belonging to the victim as well as something else. Testing with the police shows it belonging to fox blood. Another test from the College of Ilyvander shows it belonging to a celestial kitsune."

Lillian squeezed her mate tighter. He grunted by her strength.

Claudia continued, "A similar body was found last night. One bullet wound, this time in the back of the hand. Autopsy should be done by now but let's not pretend; it was a ghoul. All footage of the assumed time of death have failed due to camera malfunction. But a black 1988 Chevy Corvette was the first to be seen speeding away once camera footage started rolling again. The same car parked across the street."

At some point, her smirk had fallen. Her lips had thinned to one of worry while her brows were furrowed like a mother about to scold their child.

"It's not a big mess but still…" she gave a light sigh and then began to pout. "You're lucky I caught wind of this. The police would have been at your doorstep if I didn't do damage control. Why would you risk yourself like that?"

"Because it got you to stop spying on me," he answered dryly. "Claudia, please, you've known I've been back in town for weeks."

His retort made her pout further, puffing out her cheeks. "That's not nice. If you knew then why didn't you call me?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he countered.

"Because you were making such an effort to remain hidden! Carly didn't know you were back until you two ran into each other! I thought you were trying to do something. But now that everything's quiet down… you haven't made an effort to reach me. I really missed you, you know…?"

For a moment, Lillian almost wanted to pat the girl on the head. She looked so saddened.

"What did you need where a phone call wasn't enough?" Claudia grumbled.

"Did you find anything out about the vampires who attacked Lillian?" he asked.

Lillian perked up. For the first time she looked away from the vampire to exchange a look at her mate. He gave her a quick glance before going back to Claudia. His eyes were focused and full of intent. It was a hardened look of someone taking something with absolute seriousness.

It was kinda hot. Her beloved was so manly.

Now if only she could figure out a way to have him look at her this way. Preferably on the bed.

"Lillian," Claudia's attention turned towards her. Her voice was gentle but also professional. "Do you mind if I ask you about the night you were attacked? How did you run into that particular vampire?"

Lillian frowned. She didn't like remembering the night. But she complied, "I had just arrived into town. I had gotten a bus from Arizona. I didn't get to take in the sights. Nearly an hour I got off, I felt the eyes of someone watching me. I tried to lose them but they kept following me. I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings at the time— I found myself in an area without people. And that's when the… thing showed itself."

She rested her head between her mate's shoulder and neck.

"And that's when Chase came dashing to your rescue," Claudia finished the story. "Like a gallant hero coming to slay the dragon and save the princess!"

"Bite me," Chase snapped at her.

Claudia looked at him. Her eyes slowly traveled down from his eyes until landing on his neck. They widened while her face blushed up a storm.

"D-Don't say those kinds of things!" Claudia looked away with her face covered behind her hands.

"Ditto," Chase's remark was blunt. And then he added, "Without the stuttering."

"…Beloved, I'm going to get jealous if you keep flirting with her," Lillian said. She was starting to lose her fear for the vampire. It was turning into anger. She was starting to hate this little girl.

"Good," he told her. "Considering I've known her longer and have had a chance to trust her, I'd sooner date Claudia than be your mate. Maybe you should take notes and learn from this."

Lillian… actually thought about it. It might be a good idea. Live reconnaissance! She could learn everything about her enemy while improving her chances at seducing her mate! Two birds with one stone!

Thus, she reached a hand between her breasts and pulled out a notepad and pen from her Dimensional Storage Space. She flipped open to a fresh sheet and was ready to start.

Her beloved was glancing between the things in her hands and then to her cleavage. Back and forth. His scowl was lined with confusion.

Claudia too scowled. But this time in jealousy. Her eyes were laser-focused on Lillian's bust.

"…I feel like I shouldn't ask," Chase muttered. "So, back to my question?"

"Hmm?" Claudia looked up at him. "Oh, right, that. Well… whether I do or don't have that kind of information is for my own discretion. I can't give any sort of information to a civilian."

"Uh, Lillian is the victim," Chase frowned. "I think that qualifies in letting her know."

"I was referring to you," Claudia cupped her hands together and placed them on the table. "You are no longer my Grave Keeper. So until my investigation is concluded, any information will be withheld. However… should you choose to make another contract with me—"

"No," both he and Lillian said at the same time. He put a finger to her lips without looking away from Claudia.

"…You didn't even let me finish," Claudia pouted. It fell as her look hardened, "You do realize if you continue to act without my authority I will have to treat it as vigilantism, right?"

"I prefer to think of it as self-defense," Chase shook his head. "Both cases had blood suckers threatening to kill us. I reacted appropriately to save our lives."

"That may be the case this time," Claudia's voice shifted to match her expression. "But you're not the type of person to sit around and wait for someone to come for revenge. Chase, come be my Grave Keeper again. I can help you."

"Coralynne asked me to stay out of it," Chase huffed.

"Carly did?" Claudia blinked.

"She wants me to try and live a normal life," he snorted this time. "Oh. I told her I would ask you. Is there any way you can get me enrolled in school again?"

"…She really asked that of you?" Claudia was the one to huff this time, annoyed. "I'll have your uniform delivered tomorrow. Do you want to start first thing on Monday or…?"

"I'm fine with Monday," he shrugged. "One more thing. Do you know where my mother is?"

"Mexico, on vacation."

"For the past three weeks?" he scoffed. "Well… that explains why the place has gone to shit. Any idea when she'll be back?"

Claudia hummed as she thought about it, "I'm not sure. She hasn't purchased any flight tickets to return yet. It can't be any longer than another week. She has to return to work at some point or lose her job."

In other words… another week of alone time with Lillian and her mate. Perfect!

"Is there anything else you need at the moment?" Claudia asked.

"Past your bedtime or something?" Chase said with sarcasm as he glanced at the kitchen window.

"I'd like to get some work done before I take a nap, thank you," Claudia wagged a finger at him. "If that's all, do you mind walking me outside? It was nice meeting you, Lillian. I wish you the best of luck trying to win him over."

"…Thank you," Lillian said back curtly.

Chase nudged for Lillian to move. She sulked a little and didn't budge at first. She only did when he looked at her. She had made herself comfortable in his lap. The warmth against his chest would have lulled her to sleep if there wasn't such a dangerous monster in the room.

"Wait here," he told her as he and Claudia went towards the door.

"But—"

"Wait here," he repeated.

Lillian crossed her arms and huffed. Her eyes traced every movement of Claudia's, making sure the vampire wouldn't take a nibble out of her mate.

They exited the house; Chase shutting the door behind him. He didn't intend on just showing her to the door. He meant to walk her off the property altogether.

Lillian's face was pressed against the glass window of the front room faster than anyone could blink.

0-0-0

"She's very lovely," Claudia admitted. "Even for kitsune standards. You're very lucky, Chase. How is it that you wind up with all these cute girls falling into your arms? Do they just fall out of the sky or something?"

She sat in her wheelchair as Chase pushed her down the concrete walkway through his yard. He opened the iron gate for her and pushed her out onto the sidewalk.

"Is that what it looks like to you?" he snorted in poor taste. "Give it a week. She'll find out about me and run away screaming like everyone else."

She frowned at him. "Chase… neither Carly nor I have run away."

"Neither of you are trying to sleep with me," he pointed out. "Let alone get bonded into some mating ritual equal to matrimony. I know she's a good girl. And I know she means well. But… I don't want to waste her time."

"But you're giving her false hope by letting her stay with you," Claudia summed up. "You don't intend on becoming her mate at all, do you? You really think you're not worth her time?"

"Are we really having this discussion?" he growled.

She opened her mouth, ready to scold him. But she shut it. A lecture wasn't what he needed. Nor was it something he would accept. She knew what would get through his skull and harsh words would only have the adverse effect.

"Chase, what happened with Serene happened before you were gone. You've had time. I understand if you're still hurting. But please don't drag that girl down with you. It's not fair to her."

He was silent and as still as a statue. He held on to the handles at the back of her chair. She waited patiently for him to come out of his shell and give her a reply.

"I gave her two weeks to convince me," he said.

Her frown didn't shift. "Two weeks is hardly enough time to make someone fall in love."

"I didn't say she had to make me love her," he said as he went around the chair to face her. "I'm using human standards here. I'm letting her stay until I know for sure she's safe. After that… I'll decide if I want to take the next step."

…Lillian Pnéṿma chose both the best and worst mate on the planet.

"I suppose it's none of my business," Claudia admitted when he wouldn't budge on the subject. "What _is_ my business is what you're planning to do regarding her circumstances. I'm really upset with you. I was waiting for you to have a special reunion. But _this_ was how you made me meet you? No parties or game nights. Just pure, bloody work."

He crouched so they were closer to eye level. His brows fell into a flat line.

"I'm going to be looking the other way this one time," she told him, making sure her voice was firm and inarguable. "But this is the only time. You protect that girl and do _nothing_ else. When those two weeks are up, I don't want to see you working behind my back. I expect you to give me a call or there will be hell to pay."

"Don't you know?" he grumbled sourly. "I'm retired. I'm not allowed to do anything a mundane wouldn't."

"If Coralynne Stradt believes the best thing you need is peace and quiet then I dare question her judgment as a fellow queen of this city," Claudia shook her head. "Chase, you're not the type of person who can sit still for long periods of time. You're always looking for something to do.

"But… fine. I won't push on the matter. When you get bored of going to school and doing your homework… I'll have a few jobs waiting for you. It doesn't have to be as my Grave Keeper either."

It got a brow raised from him.

She worried for him. She made this promise for him to help him cope. _Peace and quiet_. She would have laughed if it didn't infuriate her so much. Maybe Coralynne could go back to a mundane life after her own adventure, but Chase was different.

"Warehouse D-17 in the Port of Los Angeles," she told him. "Start there."

"You're… helping me," he half-asked and half-contemplated.

"I'm minimalizing damages," she corrected. "Word has already spread about the Pnéṿma girl my Not Grave Keeper is protecting. It's cowed most who know you by reputation as well as my enemies, but there is another affiliation who has disregarded my warnings entirely. A stray cat has warned me a group of kitsune she and I have been having trouble with have reacted to this name.

"If you take care of them, and make sure they stay quiet for some time, I _might_ be willing to set up an appointment with you and this stray cat."

He squatted there and stared at her, thinking quietly to himself. She knew what he was thinking about and why he wasn't asking any questions. Why would he want to meet with this person? Because it was a potential lead to future jobs requiring his talents. It was something that would keep him occupied once the dust settled.

She was right. He couldn't sit still for very long. He was already thinking about what to do after he solved Lillian's problem.

"Now, Chase," Claudia pressed her voice. "I gave you something. Tell me, how much trouble is that girl really in?"

He blinked slowly, his mind coming back to reality as he looked at her. "More trouble than she wants me to know. And more than she believes she's in. Something annoying is on its way to the city. And if I get rid of that… something much bigger will be right behind it. At least, that's what the World is telling me. I don't know the specifics."

She nearly gulped. The coming future wasn't going to be boring, that's for sure.

"Well… hopefully Lillian will get to stay with us a little longer," Claudia let out a few chortles of light laughter. "Maybe I'll teach her how to play DnD!"

"Yeah, uh, I don't think that's going to happen."

"What?" she gasped. "Why?!"

"Claudia, you're way too hardcore. Your mods are sadistic, you demand everyone stays in character or are killed off in game immediately, and your dungeons are just unfair."

"But that's how you're supposed to play!"

"Not for filthy casuals like _me_. And especially not for a newbie like Lillian."

"…You're just mad because you keep dying," she sulked.

"Bite me."

Her face flushed. Those words triggered her to flash towards his neck and at the thick vein pulsing with his blood. The memory of what his blood tasted like and how it made her feel sank her into a fantasy. She visualized the two of them together, bonding with something that felt greater than sex.

The corner of his mouth twitched.

She scowled at him. She knew the signs of when he was smiling. Mocking her!

She scooted a little closer, still glaring at him, and reached for his hand.

" _Ohm!_ "

And then she bit into it. This will show him to tease her! Her canines digging into the meet and her tongue tasting… such rich, succulent, smooth, electrifying blood.

Oh fucking hell yes.

Her face relaxed as she let the ichor dance along her tongue. A moan escaped her. Her lips sucked on his hand, trying to squeeze out more from it. Nothing else mattered in this moment. She forgot why she was biting him in the first place.

"GET OFF OF HIM!"

And then her bliss was taken away from her. She saw Lillian flash out of the house like a bolt of red lightning and pull Chase away from her. Claudia was only slightly agitated her source of pleasure was taken away. But she had tasted just enough for her to have her body float in euphoria.

"I _really_ missed you, Chase," she giggled. "I love you so much."

Lillian let out some sort of guttural howl of outrage.

"Yeah, yeah," Chase said as he clamped a hand over Lillian's mouth. "Tell me again once you've come down."

The moment didn't last long. Just as brief as she had her drink was just as quick for the most annoying of headaches to come banging on her head. It completely knocked her out of her bliss and into a world of pain.

"Glad to have you back with us," she heard Chase and his tone of sarcastic amusement. "Now, _how_ much did you miss me?"

The pain was slightly suppressed by a wave of embarrassment. Though she was drugged out of her mind with his blood, she had been fully conscious of everything. She remembered what she just said.

"…I'm going now," she said in a low voice, her head bowed to hide her burning face.

She gripped the rims of her wheels, turn the seat around, and pushed herself away.

0-0-0

"I don't like her," Lillian huffed. She crossed her arms as she watched the little vampire run, erm, roll away.

"You don't say," sarcasm oozed out his voice as he gave her a dull glance. "Do tell."

"I mean it!" she turned to him and took his hand. She gave it a good look. Blood continued to drip from the bite marks. It showed no signs of stopping. "Look what she did. It needs to be treated right away. She didn't infect you, did she? You're not going to turn into a vampire or suddenly get pulled into a compulsion?"

"You don't have to like her," he told her as if it would ease her mind. It didn't. "Just know she is the one who, indirectly anyways, paid for your clothes. I wouldn't have this house without her, come to think about it."

Lillian looked around the vicinity. There were no witnesses. She brought out her ears and tails so she could channel her youki through her tails. She wasn't the best healer and only knew the bare essentials. But she could heal a wound like this.

He watched her work, bringing the tip of her tail towards his hand. A faint glow of golden light illuminated where it touched the wound.

In a few seconds, the wound was gone. The blood on his skin would have to be washed off on his own.

"Thank you," he said casually, as if it were a small gesture of good will. "Come on, let's go back inside. It's kinda chilly… especially when you're still wearing that."

She was still in her nightclothes with the upper half of her body covered by a half-closed jacket. Normally, this would be the opportune chance to tease him or to flaunt her assets. But she was too miffed with the vampire taking away what was rightfully hers.

Instead, Lillian wrapped her arms around one of his and squeezed tightly for warmth. He looked at her but didn't comment. They walked back towards the house together.

"You know," Lillian sulked, "when you said she was your boss, I was imagining a really old looking lady with wrinkly and saggy skin. I didn't expect someone so… fresh. Beloved… I hope you're not secretly a lolicon. I can't compete against that."

"Yeah, I don't know what that is," he said bluntly. "Please stop using terms that's not defined in the English language. And Claudia is several times older than I am. But in terms of Progenitor years… she's exactly the age she appears to be. She's literally the youngest of her class."

"…I still don't feel comfortable knowing you two are so close," she grumbled back.

"That's because we have history," he commented. "Forget about her for today. Today, I'm going to educate you on the greatness that is Star Wars. I doubt we'll get to the latest movie by sundown but we have to start somewhere. After that, I'm going to have to leave you alone to head on out for work."

Lillian tensed. She stopped walking, effectively making her mate stop in the process. "Work? Please don't tell me you will be with that vampire any longer, beloved."

"I will be stepping out to secure your safety in the city," he assured. "I planned on doing this with or without Claudia's support."

"Then let me come with you," she demanded.

"No," he said in a flat voice that made her wince. Upon seeing her reaction, he closed his eyes to relent. He opened them again and explained, "Lillian, I'm going to be moving around a lot. I can't spend all my time with you. And while I'm sure you're capable of handling yourself… let's be frank. You're a serious distraction."

He said this last part while eyeing her bust. Her breasts were hardly contained by the zipper lining of the jacket.

His reaction just about made her day. It almost made up the amount of flirting he did with the vampire girl.

"I understand," Lillian uttered with delight… but something held her back from giving her full support. "But, Chase, you're not going to be doing anything dangerous, are you?"

They reached the door. He held it open for her. She stepped inside and he made a noise in the back of his throat that may or may not be laughter. She couldn't tell since he wasn't smiling.

"Those vampires last night are more dangerous than what I'll be facing. I'm going out to gather information and making sure nothing else will attack you. It's mostly boring stuff with lots of talking."

She stepped inside the house as he closed the door.

Little did she know he looked behind him, staring across the street and onto the rooftops of the adjacent house. There, sitting on the rooftops, was a _kudagitsume_ — a fox spirit used for relaying messages between households. For this instance, it had been spying on the house harboring Lillian Pnéṿma.

Chase stared back at it. Something shifted in his eyes. The spirit nearly dispersed and broke apart into nothingness by the glare alone had it not been for the message to its master.

 _I'm coming to kill you_ , so said the single glance from a prime killer.


	4. Chapter 4

**A few things before we begin.**

First thing to get out of the way, _Synthesis_ is my original work I post on fictionpress. You can find the link on my bio. However, this particular fanfic takes place in the timeline of Post-Act 4. Acts 1-3 are unpublished but are treated as separate stories. Think like Star Wars, where Luke's saga starts in Episode 4. Now, if you have any questions, I'll be more than glad to answer them.

Sorry for the confusion for those who spent hours on Google looking for the source material.

Next, regarding Mister Varnell's case of "plagiarism".

 _American Kitsune_ , I would have to say, is more so "heavily inspired by" rather than a straight-up copy and past of Daneel Rush's work. The plot is original as well as most of the cast. My comment in the first chapter was meant for certain characters. For instance, the characters Kotohime and Kirihime are two halves of Rush's character Kotonoha. They share a lot of characteristics with her (maid/bodyguard, choice of weaponry, mannerisms, love of hunting and tanning, etc) but have narrowly enough individuality to be their own separate characters. I can excuse them.

I can also excuse the fact everyone in the Pnevma clan is named after flowers, not unlike all the Yuris Rush uses. A lot of traditional families do this. So fine.

I think the one thing that made me write that note was the description of the Pnevma matriarch, who is a copy and paste of Rush's Yuri with the exception of their kistune elements. There was also a comment in the narrative at the end of Book 4 describing a pair of twins with disturbingly similar wording used in Rush's story. Plus a shout-out to one kitsune who matches Yuria's description to a T. I treated this last one as a shout-out but still.

To the point, I'm not saying _American Kitsune_ is a retelling of _Naruto Genkyouien._ No, Mister Varnell has already done that enough with _To Love Ru_ in one of his other stories. I'm saying I wasn't okay with some of the things he deliberately took from Rush's story.

Having that said, I'm not particularly innocent myself. I recall using Hellsing Abridge's script for a certain Vampire when I was too lazy to think of anything witty.

Granted, I still have some other problems with the story but that's for Mister Varnell to know since it's _his_ story.

I'd still recommend the story. Give it a shot if you haven't.

Now that that's out of the way...

On with the show.

* * *

"Hey, how hot do you think this Pnéṿma chick is?" Ken asked as he straightened the cards in his hand. It wasn't his turn so there was no need to look at them.

"Dunno," answered… okay, Ken forgot his name. This guy wasn't that big in the clan rankings, being a two-tails and all that… just like him. But Ken knew he was better at illusions, plus better looking without a doubt. "Mistress Luna wants her for something. But she's already got Lady Taerju so it can't be to mate."

Ken clicked his tongue. The matriarch of their clan was a real beauty with large breasts for suckling and one hell of an ass for pounding. But… she preferred women. If it weren't for the fact she was a couple centuries older than all of them, and with six tails to boot, Ken would have loved to have her pretty little mouth around his cock. Instead, all she used it for was to bark orders and pretend she was superior to all of them.

Well, she was. She became the matriarch of their dying clan instead of Christian or Kaine, who were both male with four tails. Even together she could kick their asses.

"We've been _asked_ by the Bodhisattva's youngest to report anything about her to him," Christian answered. He wasn't playing the game and chose to lean against a crate with his arms crossed. He had a slight frown for his choice of wording. "You know how it goes. They ask at first and then will soon demand if we don't start delivering."

"It's fortunate enough we've heard something this early," Kaine cut in. He organized the cards in his hands based on some order only he knew. "They'll look kindly at this and reward us… instead of not punishing us if we took too long."

Ken clacked his stack of cards against the table, "Here's a thought. Say if we find this Pnéṿma girl. If she's something the Bodhisattva's youngest is pushing hard for… what's to say we can't have a little fun with her before shipping her off? It seems like a waste not to."

He got two looks of consideration for his idea but it was Kaine who shook his head.

"That sounds suicidal," he spoke up. "If Lord Jiāoào finds out we've spoiled his prize, it won't look good for the Mul clan. There'll be hell to pay on our end. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be on the receiving end of the Bodhisattva's wrath."

But it would _only_ reflect badly on the clan. Meaning, their matriarch would be the one who would get reprimanded. So, if he played his cards right, Ken could have his way with this Pnéṿma girl while his bitch matriarch gets royally thrashed. Win-win.

First, they'd have to find Lillian Pnéṿma. They only knew she was in the city based on a couple of rumors. Something had spooked all the annoying bats.

"Does anyone know what the hell a Grave Keeper is?" Ken asked.

Christian gave a single snort of dry laughter, "Traditionally, they're servants of a vampire that guards them while they sleep. They're only human."

"Human?" Ken laughed. "Then what the hell are we squatting here for? Why can't we just take the girl from him?"

"Because we don't know where he lives," the guy with the forgotten name answered. "Lady Taerju is looking into it. So until we know where we need to go…"

He slapped his stack of cards against his palm.

Ken clicked his tongue again. Things might not go as smoothly as he thought. If whoever was keeping Lillian safe was as easy as a target as Ken believed, then there wouldn't be any reason for the matriarch's mate to not solve the problem herself. Even worse, she'll get all the credit for the capture and Ken won't get laid.

"There's also the fact this particular Grave Keeper was the servant to that brat Angelica," Christian went on. "But I heard he kicked the bucket a year ago and she hasn't gotten anyone new. Supposing either the rumor is true and he's alive or she _did_ get a new Grave Keeper, we need to be careful not to step on her toes. She's been staying out of our way this long. We don't need to give her a reason to get involved."

"Who's to say she has to think we did it?" Ken offered. "Blame it on those kappas. Or… Kuroneko. That bitch cat is really getting annoying. We can have her and the vampire take each other out."

"That's for Mistress Luna to decide," Kaine muttered as he settled and looked at his cards. "The kappas aren't a threat but Angelica and Kuroneko are. We sit and wait for orders. Now… whose turn was it?"

"Yours," Ken and the other kitsune answered.

"Ah," Kaine blinked. "Got any threes?"

"No," Ken answered right away. How droll. Yet another night of nothing. If he knew they were going to sit here all night he would have skipped out and find some human girl to lay with. Instead, he was stuck here in this sausage fest.

"Go fish," said the other kitsune. Ken still didn't care enough to ask for his name.

Kaine pulled a card from the deck and gave it a look. "Ah, I got what I wanted—!"

His and Christian's ears twitched. Both their eyes flicked up to the railings of the warehouse. Ken hadn't heard anything but the two other kitsune were centuries older than him. Their senses were sharper. They must have heard something.

Before they could get out of their seats, something flew through the air and bounced on the table. Ken only have a brief instant for his eyes to catch it. It was a cylindrical canister made out of tin based on the sound it made.

And barely inches off the table after its bounce, Ken was slapped across the face with a flash of light and a burst that ached his ears. He fell back in his chair and began to roll around on the floor, swearing every curse imaginable as he was seeing colors behind his shut eyes and his ears were ringing like a continuous barrage of thunder.

It was probably what saved his life.

Even in his disoriented state could he make out other loud sounds. He sensed the sudden spike of youki in the air and movement all around him. He couldn't tell what was happening beyond that.

His ears still ringing, he opened his eyes. He shut them again, swore, and tried again. The world was blurry with black spots coming and going. He could make out faint silhouettes and the occasional colored blur. He couldn't get back to his feet. The banging in his head kept him from regaining his sense of balance.

"What's going on?!" he shouted. His hand went up to reach for the table's edge, pulling himself upright. He could at least get onto his knees. He squinted, blinked furiously, shook his head, and tried once more to see.

His fellow two-tails was hunched over the table. Dead. Something had blown out the back of his skull.

"W-What…!" Ken blinked once more. His head snapped around, trying to figure out what happened and where his fellow clansmen were.

Kaine was also dead. Water pooled around him; he had tried to put up a fight and use a technique against their assailant. But his chest was riddled with holes and his Hawaiian shirt was drenched in his blood. He sat on the ground with his back against a crate.

Christian was the only one alive, probably because he wasn't huddled around their little group. And he was currently fighting their attacker.

" **Kitsune Art: World of Transitory Perceptions.** "

The air sparkled as Christian poured his youki into this technique. It was an illusion— a damn good one at that. It would distort the target's senses such as flipping and reversing their sense of direction.

Ken got a look at the one ballsy enough to surprise them. He scoffed; the guy was a head shorter than Ken with tanned skin, an unimpressive figure, and an all-black getup like someone straight from the Matrix. No, seriously. The dumbass was even wearing the stupid long coat and sunglasses. Sunglasses! In the middle of night!

But it was over. Christian had him in an illusion and would kill him in his next move.

However… Christian's eyes widened as the guy raised his weapon— an Uzi machinegun— and pulled the trigger. A trail of bullets spat out of the barrel. Christian dove to the side, moving faster than any human could with reinforcement techniques. And yet, the assailant had been able to follow his movements, dragging his Uzi across the air in pursuit of the kitsune.

He wasn't affected by the illusion at all?!

Christian moved behind a set of containers. The attacker took the chance to empty the clip and reload with a new one from his coat pocket.

" **Water Art:** " Christian's voice was heard on the other side. **"Water Spikes."**

Behind the man, by using the water near Kaine's cooling corpse, spikes of the liquid rose off the ground and angled at his back.

As though he knew exactly where the attack was coming from, he ducked his head and rolled forward. Spikes tore through the flap of his coat but missed his body. He kept moving, getting back onto his feet without losing momentum, and bolted forward in pursuit of Christian.

The sound of gunfire went off some more.

Ken had a choice. He could either flee or go help his clansman. Ken was great at weaving illusions but he wasn't bulletproof. Whoever this guy was… he was immune to illusions. But that didn't mean he was immune to any other sort of attack— he dodged for a reason. Christian should be more than enough to deal with him.

Ergo, if Ken booked it now, he'll look like a coward. Christian would rat him out.

He decided to follow them. His ears hurt like a mother fucker but he could still hear the gunfire and Christian's chants. It didn't take him long to find them. Ken pressed himself against a crate and leaned around the corner, waiting for his chance to strike.

 **"Water Art: Transient Waterfall."**

Water jetted from one of Christian's tales. It was far more powerful than a fireman's hose, capable of tearing through concrete in no time flat. The assailant ducked behind wooden containers; wood splintered everywhere as it was Christian's turn to tail his move after him. His geyser reached the end of the column… but the assailant was nowhere to be seen.

"Where the hell did you go…?" Christian gritted his teeth as his eyes flicked around. His tails swished everywhere behind him. He caught sight of Ken, nodded in approval of his position, and went back to looking for the assailant.

"Who are you?" demanded Christian. No answer came. "Are you with Kuroneko? Or… are you with those damn Sons and Daughters of Humanity?"

Now there was a scary thought. One that made sense. What if the guy _was_ a part of the anti-youkai group? He was clearly trained to fight youkai, considering he just iced two of them and was able to keep up with Christian.

"Never heard of them," the assailant spoke up.

 **"Water Art: Water Spear!"**

The idiot gave his position away. Christian's body whipped around, hurling a spear still in the process of being formed by the water he created as well as his youki. It only took a second as it was fully formed and hardened by the time he released it.

The spear flew forward and crashed into the row of containers to the side. Wood, metal, and concrete exploded. But it had missed its intended target. The assailant dashed out of his hiding spot just as crates started to topple over. He avoided the crumbling mess about to crush him.

"I have you now!" Christian barked. **"Water Art: Water Prison!"**

Their battle, however short it had been, had the warehouse floor full of water puddles. They all began to converge together with each drop of water focusing on Christian's target. Droplets rose off the floor by the hundreds, surround him, and create a dome of water as dense as steel.

The little shit shot at the surface. He flinched as bullets bounced off and ricocheted around him. It was an Inari-damned miracle none of them hit him. Imprisoned and unable to move, he lowered his gun and stared back at Christian. He did not, however, drop his weapon.

"Now," Christian stepped up with a dark expression. "Tell me who you are."

Seeing as the battle was won, Ken stepped out of his position to join Christian.

"I want to say 'your mom'," the guy commented as he eyed the bubble around him. "I mean, I came in to smack you around for doing something you shouldn't."

"Really?" Ken scoffed. "Smack us around? How'd that work out for you?"

"Why not ask those guys behind you?" he retorted, pointing at the dead bodies of their clansmen.

"You can either die quickly or slowly," Christian growled. "You're not funny. Now, who do you work for and how did you find us?"

Instead of answering, he went back to studying the bubble. He tapped against its surface; the material jiggled at his touch but did nothing further. "Tell me something, kitsune. Do you need to use the names of your techniques to use them or is it a really needless habit? And a poor one. Seriously, why announce what you're going to do to the enemy if it can be helped? I was able to dodge your attacks because those names were a clear giveaway!"

"…You have no intention of complying, do you?" Christian's eyes narrowed.

"I might if you humor me."

"Do you not understand the position you're in?!" Ken stomped his foot. "Don't try to act tough, human! You're our prisoner! You're going to die for killing ours."

"Oh, I know my position better than you do," he looked up once more at the bubble before glaring back at them behind his shades. "I was just wondering why my magic resistance didn't kick in. I'm wondering if your energy isn't considered 'magical'. That's what I get for not asking Lillian about kitsune and jump in blindly."

Ken's eyes widened. "You… _You're_ that bitch's Grave Keeper?!"

"…Call Claudia a bitch again and you lose your dick," his voice dropped to one of cold promise.

Ken couldn't stop smiling. Turns out, he didn't have to scheme behind his clansmen's backs. Well, he'd only have to worry about Christian. But he could worry about that later. Right now, everything else was falling into his lap. Here was the thing they were searching for. Here was the thing that will lead them to Lillian Pnéṿma.

"Well… this changes things," Christian said, coming to the same conclusion as Ken. Hopefully for different reasons. "Tell us where we can find Lillian Pnéṿma and I will let you live. You get to survive because of Angelica's protection. However, if you don't comply… we can say you lost your limbs in the name of self-defense."

"Why do you want her?" the Grave Keeper raised his gun to tap it against his shoulder. "You seriously can't be that thirsty. That guy right there should do the trick. He's pretty and such a pussy he may as well be a lady."

"He's not going to tell us," Ken said, losing all patience. He just wanted to see the guy beg for his life at this point. "Kill him already. Grind him down so that his _bitch_ boss can't identify the body."

The Grave Keeper's head slowly turned towards Ken.

"I couldn't agree more," Christian said, just as annoyed as Ken felt. " **Water Art: Dance of Timeless Erosion**."

The bubble began to spin. It gained speed, grinding through the concrete as it shrank in on itself. It would shave his flesh down into mush and powder in a matter of seconds.

All the while, the man didn't make an effort to cower. He watched his impending doom with an almost bored expression. Eventually, he groaned, lowered his gun, and pushed up his sunglasses so he could rub at his eyes. As though his death was going to be a chore!

He looked at them with his sunglasses now in his hand.

Both of his eyes were glowing blue.

"Freeze."

The spinning sphere of water turned to ice in a flash.

"What in the—!" Christian swore before realizing something and leaping back.

Ken wasn't so quick. The ice exploded outwards with shrapnel flying in his direction. He put up his arms and tail to shield himself as best he could. Shards of ice pelted on what he could reinforce but felt sharp pain as some of the finer points stabbed into his flesh.

The Grave Keeper had his hand extended. One of his eyes turned red before he put back on his sunglasses.

"You!" Christian sounded insulted. He crouched on top of a pile of crates with his eyes studying the Grave Keeper as a formidable threat. "You're not human! You've been toying with me the entire time! You're a damn Acolyte!"

A what?

"I needed to see what a kitsune is capable of," the man admitted as he stepped out the shattered prison. "How to kill one. I at least determined a kitsune with four tails can be killed with mundane methods when they're unprepared. But when engaged, they're capable of dodging bullets as well as hardening their skin to avoid penetration. Your illusions bounce off my shades… I'm not willing to experiment whether they affect me without them. And your water techniques can hurt me, probably due to your innate energy source being too similar to Aura."

Christian's tails curled and reeled back like a scorpion's. His eyes narrowed. "So now what? Just because you're an Acolyte doesn't mean I'll allow you to live."

"It was cute at first," the Grave Keeper's eyes began to shine behind his shades. "But it gets annoying when every little cocksucker thinks they can kill me. Is it because they can't breathe when they're sucking their own dick? The lack of oxygen killing too many brain cells?"

"It's because I've dealt with your kind before. You're nothing. **Water Art: Misty Land of Foxes.** "

Mist appeared and spread around Christian's body, hiding his presence as it enveloped the entire area in a blanket of gray. The mist was so thick Ken couldn't see five feet in front of him. He was, however, able to see the position of the Grave Keeper due to his glowing red and blue eyes. The sound of footsteps was heard dashing around the warehouse— Christian was trying to flank him!

"Oh for fuck's…" the man's voice rang with a sudden burst of anger. "This isn't even professional level anymore! This is… You know what? Fuck it. I'll just ask Lillian about you fucks later. Incinerate!"

A beam of red light fired from the Grave Keeper's position, blowing away the mist upon its release. The beam had been unleashed by his fingertip, to which wasn't pointed at Christian's original spot but off to the side… and away from the sound of footsteps.

Christian's cry of surprise was heard as the beam pierced through metal crates as though it were made of paper. It had struck him while he was silently moving around to flank him! Not even Ken had been able to sense his presence! He fell forward, revealing himself around the corner of another crate. His eyes were wide in shock.

"Y-You…" Christian croaked. His face was ashen white and face full of pain. "How did you know where I was? I kept my youki sealed and moved without a sound. How did you know my water clone was a fake?!"

A water clone. Christian had created a duplicate of himself using a water technique. It was what he used to draw attention towards it while surprising the Grave Keeper. Only, it had failed him.

"You mean aside from putting up a wall of mist to conceal yourself and think I'm stupid enough to follow a trail of noise?" the Grave Keeper walked towards Christian but didn't get too close. "Trade secret."

"You… You don't know who you're messing with," Christian groaned. His face winced as he clutched against something Ken couldn't see. His breathing was becoming haggard. "We are members of the Ocean Kitsune clan, the Mul clan! Don't think our matriarch will tolerate this!"

Ken was frozen in place. Christian, one of the strongest fighters of their clan, only second to the matriarch herself, was bested by whatever the fuck an Acolyte was. And if Christian was downed so easily, Ken wouldn't stand a chance!

While the monster was distracted, Ken began to inch away.

"Don't worry," the Grave Keeper uttered dispassionately. "I don't plan on hiding from her. So until she's stupid enough to try anything, I'm going to need you to tell me everything you know. Oh, but before I forget."

Something pierced through Ken from between his cheeks, happening so smoothly and so quickly he almost didn't feel the pain. The projectile flew past him before impaling itself into a crate. It was a javelin of solid blue ice molded just perfectly for its one task and nothing else.

Ken looked down, dazed and blinking to make sure what he was seeing was really happening. His jeans were quickly flooding with red as though he had just pissed blood.

He screamed and shoved his hands to his crotch. Only then did the pain flare up his spine. Along with it came the panic. He was hurt and the amount of blood he was losing was dizzying.

"You thought I was joking?" the voice of the Grave Keeper reached his ears.

Ken squealed again. He had to get out of here! The man wasn't a man! He was a monster! A true monster! If he didn't get out of here then he was going to die!

He bolted as fast as he could. It hurt with every step and the blood continued to pour out. The world was spinning. Survival instincts and adrenaline was what got him to the door.

He distinctly remembered hearing Christian scream in agony as the interrogation process began. Ken ignored it for his own sake. So long as that thing was occupied with Christian, then Ken had a higher chance of surviving.

But what could he do? He wasn't a healer. He was already pouring his youki to slow the bleeding. If he couldn't get it treated right away… he was going to die here.

In desperation, headed towards the brightest area of the port. It was late at night and there were no humans in the warehouse district. Most of their attention was near the harbor with all the restaurants and fish markets. It was the sole reason why they chose this particular warehouse as their hideout.

He didn't make it all the way to the piers. He collapsed behind some cruddy building. He felt exhausted; his limbs weighing tons. It took everything he had to rest himself against the wall.

He reached into his pant pocket and pulled out his cellphone. It was soaked in his blood. He prayed it still worked. It did and he dialed the number, cursing once again after his blood was making him mess up on the touch pad.

The first time there was no answer.

He swore as loud as he could and tried it again. By the time he finished he felt even more tired.

The second time… there was no answer.

This time, he cried. Death was upon him soon. He didn't want to die. He begged and bargained with Inari that useless matriarch of his would answer the fucking phone!

 _"This had better be important,"_ her voice was curt with annoyance.

"Dead…" he gasped out. Since when had he been panting? "They're all dead. I'm bleeding out. He… He really did it. He really cut off my dick…"

A momentary pause.

 _"Who did this?"_ she demanded. Of course the cunt would ask that instead of asking where he was so she could rescue him.

The world was spinning. He wasn't going to make it. He had lost too much blood and was losing his concentration. Was he still holding on with his youki? He couldn't tell at this point.

"Grave Keeper," he whispered. It was as loud as he could go. His strength was failing him. His head was starting to bobble. "Acolyte. He shot up the place and asked about that Pnéṿma bitch. He knew about us. Somehow he knew we were looking for her."

More silence. He felt… cold.

 _"I see. I'll send someone to retrieve you."_

The line went dead. His arm finally dropped. He didn't even have the strength to turn off the screen of his phone. All he could do was wait. Not for her; he knew she would never make it in time. He could only wait for death.

The backdoor of the building he leaned on opened. A head popped out, smelling the air like a dog before turning towards him.

"I thought I smelled death," the figure said with a Cheshire smile filled with too many teeth. It belonged to a man as fat as he was tall in an apron and hair covered by a red bandana. Also, his eyes were covered by a pair of sunglasses.

Ken was too weak to give a fuck about this character.

Still, the man approached him, wiping his hands on his apron as he looked down at him. "Well, that sucks. Bad way to go out. You know what? I kinda feel sorry for you. So how 'bout this? Wanna live a little longer?"

As weak as he was, Ken couldn't help but feel insult. He craned his neck to glare up at the man, desiring to give him a last 'fuck you' before kicking the bucket.

But as he gazed up at the figure, he felt… power. Primordial, chaotic, unlimited power oozing off of his being. It hadn't been there at first. And Ken knew even in his current state he wasn't just imagining it. This sensation… the figure had wanted him to know it was there.

Then… if it were possible…

He couldn't voice it. All he could do was nod.

"So be it," the man said as he pulled out a wooden spoon from his apron pocket. He raised it up like an axe ready to come down, "The contract is complete!"

The spoon lit on fire with colorless flames as it was brought down.

Every ounce of pain within Ken vanished as his world became distorted.

However… the world was so much bigger than it once was. He had shrunken down in size. And… he couldn't breathe!

He gasped but air would not fill his lungs. They instead flew through him. He couldn't feel his arms or legs. When he tried to move them, different appendages moved in their stead. Appendages he didn't have before.

Something pinched at where his feet should be and picked him up. It was the man. Ken was now something just as large as the man's face.

"Perfect!" the man's smile spread to show his hundred triangular teeth. "You'll live just long enough to complete my order."

He carried Ken back into the building. It was a kitchen. Ken tried to struggle but the man's grip was absolute.

Ken was brought down onto a flat surface. Though he continued to struggle, the man had a hold on his body. A narrow knife was drawn and raised.

For the briefest moment, Ken saw a reflection of what he had become from the knife that was about to gut him.

 _"I'M A MAGIKARP?!"_

0-0-0

Luna Mul, matriarch of the Mul Clan, was a woman of slightly above average height with fair skin of a noblewoman, long navy hair that cascaded down her shoulders and back, and a voluptuous body most women envied and some craved. She was a kitsune with six tails, having spent half a millennium watching the world change around her. But unlike her kind who hid away from the humans, she was one of the few who dared to adapt and walk among them.

Tonight, she was in one of her finest outfits— a slim-fitting dress that hugged her curves, a deep cut to reveal her back, and a slit along the side to flash her thigh whenever she walked or the wind blew. Her heels added two inches to her height and the shawl around her shoulders kept the bitter winds at bay.

She watched as a small but exceedingly extravagant boat docked itself. Maintaining her composure, as well as swallowing the urge to vomit, she moved away from her vehicle and headed down to the port. She moved flawlessly, as fluid and graceful as the waves coming and going against the sandy beach beside them.

"Lord Jiāoào," she greeted with a divine smile and customary bow at the hip. "I hope your journey was a pleasant one. Welcome to Los Angeles."

The one who climbed onto the port was a very young kitsune who had barely gained his second tail but a few decades ago. The youth showed on him with his round face and large eyes. Still, there were a few refined features of manhood on him such as his straight shoulders and sharp chin.

He was Jiāoào Shénshèng, youngest (official) son of the nine tails Celestial Kyuubi, the Bodhisattva. If it weren't for his connections to his father, Luna couldn't give two shits about the brat.

She raised herself up to look at him and keep smiling. Her peripheral had her studying his… company. Trailing behind Jiāoào, via a leash attached to a collar around their necks, were a pair of female kitsune. The first was one of clear Chinese descent while the other was closer to Germanic origins. The former had a pair of eyes that was dead to the world while the other still had their fires of defiance… that was on the verge of dying out.

The last in his company was his butler/bodyguard. A man in the peak of his youth in a pure black butler's suit and slicked black hair. He had four tails, each one darker than the night itself.

The butler noticed her staring, even when her eyes were not upon him as she had been using her peripheral, and offered her a friendly smile and nod. He went back to carting the mountain of luggage off the ship.

"I take it you're Luna Mul," Jiāoào approached her with his hands hidden beneath the sleeves of his robes. He didn't abstain himself from admiring her figure. He paused to decide whether to try to claim her or leave her be. "It was rather boring. I would have liked to have flown here immediately but… those damn Saints."

She pretended to not have noticed his ogling of her. "Correct. Kuroneko of the Four Saints lives and operates here in the city. Every youkai that comes through public transportation must first receive permission by one of them. However, rest assured I have done everything in my power to make sure your arrival has gone under the radar."

"Under the what?" his brow rose.

"Forgive me. It's a human saying. It means your presence has gone unnoticed."

"Hmm," his eyes flashed at disapproval. He finally decided he didn't want her because of her relations with the humans. Good. "This place disgusts me. The air is putrid with human filth. I'd like to leave as soon as possible. Have you or have you not found Lillian Pnéṿma yet?"

Oh. She has. Her mate had discovered the location of the Pnéṿma girl. However…

"Your sources predicted she will be arriving here?" she feigned ignorance for the time-being.

"One of our spies saw her leave on a bus set for Los Angeles," he answered readily. "It should have arrived three days ago."

"Three days is plenty of time to get lost in the city," Luna commented. "Rest assured we will look into it. If she is as rambunctious as you claim, there is only a matter of time before she makes noise and for us to find her."

"I did not say _rambunctious_ ," his brows furled with insult. "I said she was rebellious. Like a flower waiting until the last minute to bloom. It is her defiance that makes her the most beautiful—"

Suddenly, her tits began to vibrate. The electric chime of a ringtone played.

Jiāoào stared with laser-pointed intrigue. He was back to debating whether to try and claim her or not by this display alone.

Her brow twitched. The only ones who had her number were her underlings and her mate. They knew they couldn't call her on this particular evening. Not even for an emergency. The entire state of their clan depended on the good whims of the Bodhisattva's son.

"Apologies," Luna said once the ringing stopped. "You were saying, Lord Jiāoào?"

"Hmm?" his eyes continued to stare at her chest. "Remind me what we were talking about."

She was about to answer when… her phone began to ring again.

Now, she couldn't help but to show her disdain. Her own brows furled with barely restrained anger. If she found out who it was…

"Lady Mul…" amusement and, disgustingly enough, arousal came from his mouth. "I didn't realize the matriarch of the Mul Clan was such a promiscuous woman. A guilty pleasure, perhaps? Or frustrations with the burden of office? If you'd like, I can help alleviate some of that stress."

She nearly hurled. It took all 532 years of experience with _men_ to swallow her disgust.

Fortunately, her phone stopped ringing by the time he was done talking.

"I'm honored for the offer, Lord Jiāoào," her tone was the definition of diplomacy. "However, I have a mate and I can never hurt her feelings by sleeping with another."

"Not at all," he gave her a carnivorous smile. "She can join us."

Her guard slipped. She glared down at him.

Jiāoào immediately felt the killing intent radiating off of her; he let loose an unmanly squeal and stumbled back into his enslaved kitsune. The butler, who had been standing in the back the whole time to await orders, had his expression shift. He was no longer an observant. His eyes flashed in… playful warning. He dared her to go along with her silent threat, just so he could have the pleasure of fighting her.

The tension vanished when her breasts vibrated for a third time.

"If you will excuse me for a moment," she said, her tone cold and unbending for argument. She stepped away, reached a hand into her dress, and pulled her cellphone from within her Dimensional Storage Space. She grimaced when she saw the name displayed belonging to Ken, one of the lowest ranking members of her clan.

"This had better be important," she said, warning him if someone wasn't dead then—

 _"Dead,"_ a scared, sobbing, defeated, weak boy was heard on the other end. _"They're all dead. I'm bleeding out. He… He really did it. He really cut off my dick…"_

She didn't say anything for a moment. Her mind raced. Ken and the others were supposed to be on standby for the night. There were four of them in total, two of which were Kaine and Christian— her strongest fighters.

Had Kuroneko ignored her own policy of neutrality? Or did the old cat learn about Luna's underground dealings and send someone to clean it up? No, if Kuroneko was involved, she would have come for Luna directly. Biting off the head of the snake and all that.

Then… was it the Sons and Daughters of Humanity? Had that annoying prick at her side learned of one of her storehouses and ambush her men?

"Who did this?" she demanded.

She heard wheezing. A laugh. A dying man's laugh.

 _"Grave Keeper,"_ Ken took in a deep, shaky breath. _"Acolyte. He shot up the place and asked about that Pnéṿma bitch. He knew about us. Somehow he knew we were looking for her."_

Grave… Keeper?

Then, _Claudia des Angelica_ , one of the two self-proclaimed queens of Los Angeles, had sent her guard dog loose. What did this mean, exactly? Based on what Ken just said, neither she nor Kuroneko were aware of Luna's affairs. The Grave Keeper had only come for Lillian's sake.

Had it been because he had spotted Taer's _kudagitsume_? Supposing he had… how did he track it? And _if_ he had, how did he learn of the warehouse they recently occupied several miles away from their real base of operations?

"I see," she spoke into the receiver. "I'll send someone to retrieve you."

She disconnected the call. She did not, however, call anyone else. Nor did she give Jiāoào any acknowledgement, who had regained his composure and was waiting with strained patience. She let her thoughts circulate for a moment.

The phone in her hands vibrated once more. She glanced on it, wondering why Ken was still alive. She blinked. The name this time was… Christian.

Ah. So that's how it is.

She answered and brought it up to her ear. Her voice was cold and as sharp as steel. "Good evening, Grave Keeper. I will be straight with you. You've pissed me off. I've had no quarrel with you and now I do. Hand over the girl to us and I won't have to kill you slowly."

 _"…God fucking hell,"_ she heard a young man's voice groan. His voice was full of sassy, juvenile arrogance. _"What is with you people and threatening to kill me slowly? Do you know how many times I've heard that this week? Was there, like, a bargain sale that all you fucks went to for the rights to that threat? Now, wait, hold on. I can do better than that. Was there—"_

"You're trying my patience, _boy_ ," the phone groaned, ready to break as her anger was rising. "Don't think my threat can be so undermined. I don't care if you are Angelica's dog. She won't be able to protect you from me. I will come for you. And when I do, I will—"

 _"Right, right, right_ ," he cut her off with an annoyed grunt. _"I've heard this speech before. Here's my counter offer: You fuck off and I don't have to sweep through the other twenty-seven foxes Christian was kind enough to mention by name. I can find them. Just as I can find you right now, Luna Mul. You're hardly a few miles away, less than twenty meters away from your driver and a few meters away from the party of four who just arrived twenty minutes ago. You're facing east."_

Her head whipped around and eyes searched the sky. She didn't spot a drone anywhere. Her eyes flicked up towards the stars. Had he used a satellite to pinpoint her location?

 _"Now you're facing south-east,"_ the voice continued. _"See, I can also play this game. I know where you're at. I know where all your goons are at. And, now pay attention here, I know where your mate is. Taerju Kumite. She's currently in your house in Beverly Hills, naked, sitting on the bed on the second floor of the western corridor while she's… looks like she's meditating."_

Youki oozed out of her body as the urge to kill within her spiked.

"All you've told me is that Angelica has gone against her word and planted bugs within my property," cold vengeance was being promised through her tone. "This is grounds for war, Grave Keeper. Are you willing to endanger your master over a single girl?"

 _"A war I'm overqualified for,"_ the voice was calm, mocking her with his sheer arrogance. _"So if you don't want anyone else to die, all you have to do is fuck off. Stop looking for Lillian. As for the people behind you, you're going to buy them a new boat and tell them to go back home. Otherwise…"_

She pulled her phone away; the line was disconnected.

"Lord Jiāoào," she heard the butler speak up. When she looked, his eyes were peering down the coast. "We should move from this spot."

Her eyes went to follow his gaze. Her ears twitched.

She could almost see the smug bastard step onto the docks on the other side of the harbor. She sensed him more than anything. Even at this distance she could sense the spike of something strikingly similar to youki. It was touki— or fighter's spirit. It was life energy the humans used that mimicked their youki.

Or, as commonly referred by the Acolytes, Aura.

There was a flash of red. And then…

"Oh dear," the butler sounded only somewhat surprised. " **Void Art: the Dark Embrace.** "

Her eyes widened as she called upon her youki, " **Water Art: Tortoise Shield.** "

The butler threw his arms up. Darkness rose from the cracks of the port and surrounded his liege and the female kitsune. They were swaddled in a blanket of darkness. Luna, meanwhile, conjured saltwater and compressed it into a shield. Several hexagons overlapped another, creating a dome that covered her completely.

She saw a red missile pierce into the haul of the ship before detonating into an earth-shattering explosion. The ship was completely devastated as well as the port Jiāoào and his escorts were standing upon. Even with her **Tortoise Shield** , Luna was flung back by the concussion blast. Her shield held strong, rippling by the kinetic force of the blast but remaining intact and saving her from the worst of it all.

She landed gracefully on her feet and dropped the shield. At the same time, Jiāoào's butler dropped his protections.

She both admired and feared the butler's work. He had used materials from the Void to negate everything from the explosion. From the fire, to the concussion, to the shrapnel. Even when the port collapsed under them, this didn't prove to be a problem. The ocean's water was devoured by the Void fabric, creating a pocket of dry land for them to stand on.

…Only for the water to follow the laws of nature and fill the vacuum, effectively slapping everyone, especially Jiāoào, with a surrounding wall of water.

Luna looked back across the ocean. The Grave Keeper didn't bother to stick around to see the damage he had wrought.

She fumed. Partially because Jiāoào might take his anger out on her and partially because the Grave Keeper had killed her driver as well as thrash the limo.

If a war was what Angelica wanted, then so be it.

0-0-0

"Hey you! Yeah, you! No, not _you_! You're just a scrub! Go away! I'm talking to you! Yes, you! C'mere! Hey, hey, hey! Don't you walk away from me! Get over here already!"

He watched as Chase slouched and rolled his head around. An exaggerated groan rumbled within his throat. But the guy listened and approached the bar, brushing off the surface of the stool before taking a seat.

And then, Chase slammed his head onto the counter hard enough to rattle some of the canisters and tip jar on the countertop.

"Rough day?" he asked without a hint of concern.

"You're here," was Chase's answer. He lifted himself up so he could slouch forward with his elbows propped. "I've been back for weeks and I haven't seen you once. You being here means it's Chapter 4 of _something_. Chapter 4 is barely the beginning of a story. Do you know what that means?! It means the shit I just pulled off was pointless and I'm going to be dragged along on some rollercoaster for someone else's entertainment."

Now came the actual concern.

"Hey, uh, you okay there, man?" he stopped what he was doing behind the counter to look at Chase. "This is probably the first time I've heard you mention something like that."

Chase massaged his brow, "I've recently had a kitsune bunk up at my place. She's aware and likes to poke holes for laughs."

"Well shit," he cackled. "A kitsune, eh? You know what? That's exactly what you need. A kitsune is one of the best lovers you'll ever have. Both in the physical sense as well as the emotional sense."

Chase looked up at him, "What do you know about them?"

"They're a type of fox youkai," he answered simply, going back to his work. "Or a Japanese fox monster, ya damn plebe. They're born as literal foxes and don't gain the ability to have a human appearance until they gain their second tail. Each tail takes about a century to develop. And every additional tail makes them stronger. They also might not have as many affinities as Acolytes, but they have a good variety."

"And the whole mating process?" Chase took off his sunglasses and pocketed them. "Are they really stuck with you forever and ever?"

"Hardly," he shrugged. "Man, kitsune are just as vain as people. They stick around only to fuck and then pull out when you start to get old and wrinkly. Or boring. However… eh, yeah mating is a serious matter to them. Even when they leave, they'll always come back for one reason or another. They're very faithful creatures."

Chase sat there in silence, mulling over something that wasn't his concern. The guy will figure out whatever problems he had on his own.

"That your work over there?" he asked, nudging his head towards the flashing reds and whites of police and ambulance across the harbor.

"Can't you tell?" Chase sassed back with a grunt— his version of a chuckle. "Claudia sent me here to clean house. She said it was to help me but I feel like I just got tricked to paint a fence."

"Yeah, those Mul kitsune? Not diggin' them. They keep taking all the prime cuts. I'm usually left with just the bargain brand and, let me tell you, rubbery."

"…What can you tell me about them?" Chase asked as he leaned forward.

"Knowledge is power," he warned. "I ain't gonna just give you that. Pay up."

"Just a minute ago you were telling me everything about kitsune!"

"Mother fucker, you can Google it and it will literally tell you everything I just said," he spat. "The stuff they have on Wikipedia? It's all the same shit. But what you're asking especially? You're gonna have to earn that shit."

"So asking you about a goddamn Bodhisattva is out of the question," Chase groaned.

"Google it," he told him, rummaging behind the counter to place the final touches.

"I know what a Bodhisattva is!" Chase threw up his hands. "I'm asking if… you know what? Forget it. I shouldn't ask you for anything. Whenever I do, you just make it a lot worse."

"That's what friends do," he cackled as he brought the plate over the counter. " _Volpe dell'oceano carpaccio_. Enjoy."

It was a lovely dish, all things considered. Some thinly sliced raw fish— as fresh as can be— with some lemon, olive oil, vinegar, and ground pepper. It wasn't his best work but by God was it still magnificent.

Chase looked down at the dish, stared at it, poked at it with a fork, and then stared up at him.

"What?" he asked.

"I know where this has been," Chase placed the dish back onto the top of the counter. "I was keeping taps on the bender I impaled. The last location he was alive in was right here. And I speak Italian, _grasso_."

"You insult me!" he spat and took the plate back. "I invite you to my workshop, I make a meal for you, I allow you to sit in my presence, and this is how you repay me?! You insult me. I'm insulted. Here's the bill."

He slapped the bill onto the counter.

"You were going to charge me regardless?" Chase gawked at him. "I thought this was some kind of welcome home meal. Never mind the quality of the meat."

"Nah, man. I've a business to run. I can't be giving away shit for free. I've got bills to pay. Kids to feed. I can't eat them if they're skinny. I mean, yeah, I _can_. But then I'd have to get more kids to fulfill he calorie intake. Know how troublesome that is to go down the street more frequently to pick up a kid? 'Sides, you've been back long enough."

He mumbled dark curses at Chase while he plopped a piece of fish into his mouth. Fucking Chase. Always putting him into a sour mood. After he went through all the trouble of making this dish. It wasn't everyday he made carpaccio.

"You know…" Chase drummed his fingers on the bar. "I was thinking about hunting down a couple of ghouls. Wanna join me?"

"Fuck off. You hurt my feelings."

"Fine, fine," Chase waved a hand a couple of times. "I guess I can hit one or two and go home early. I don't want Lillian to start getting suspicious of me. I think I'll lay low for a couple of days. Maybe listen to Coralynne's advice and try to live a normal life."

"Look at you," he spat to the side with disgust. "Acting like you's married. I know I said kitsune are good lovers but holy fuck, man. Didn't know she already grabbed ya by the balls."

Chase frowned, "It's nothing like that."

"If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that, I'd have a buck-fifty."

"I barely met her the other day. I haven't had enough time to consider… I haven't had enough time to feel… I haven't had enough time to… Fucking hell." Chase paused to scratch his head. "She's cute. That's it. More importantly, I'm not going to use her as some rebound girl."

"Goddamn dude," he stopped eating to glare at him. "You've been gone for a year. Get over it already. This ain't even the first time you've been dumped. Quit being a little pussy and go get some of that. Fucking Chase."

He might have gone a little far. Chase was a delicate little flower when it came to things like— _insert riotous laughter here—_ love. Bringing up the past even in vague mentions like this hurt his feelings. But whatever. The guy needed a good kick in the dick to move along.

"She don't love you," he continued. "That's it. Accept it and move on."

Chase let out a long breath of air as he looked away. His body went still, inanimate while the real Chase who was just occupying the vessel went into its own reality to ponder on this. However long that took, the body came back to life a minute later.

"Yeah, well, you're still fat," Chase sulked like a child. "But you're right. I'll take Lillian to… fuck it. Hollywood. Maybe go to Universals? I'm sure she'll love that. Girls still like theme parks, right? Things haven't changed since last year, have they?"

"Do what you want," he shrugged. "Just pay your bill."

"…Fucking seriously?"

"Yeah man! Did you not hear what I said earlier about paying bills and feeding kids?"

"You're eating my food right now! By all means it's now yours!"

"No, you left it there for the bussing staff— that being _me_ — to take away. What happens to it thereafter is none of your concern."

Chase opened his mouth to argue. They would go at it for a few more rounds without there being a clear winner. But, instead, he closed his mouth. He glared up and extended his hand.

Shrugging, he gave the plate of half-eaten fish back to Chase.

Chase glared some more, rolled his shoulders, reeled his head back, and cleared his sinuses with a long breath.

"Don't you dare you fucking—"

And then spit all of his flam onto the plate.

Words could not describe his ire.

Chase dropped the plate back onto the counter and slapped some bills onto the counter.

"Thanks for the meal, you fat fuck."

Then, he took off running.

"I'll kill you!" he roared and brought out his magical wooden spoon. "You son of a bitch I'll fucking kill you! How dare you insult me like this! Come back here so I can fuck your face! Dammit all, Chase! I won't be able to see you again until Chapter 14! FUCKING CHASE!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A note:**

It's been two months since I've posted anything on this site. Been working on my original story since then.

So here's the thing. I was working on Paleblood (I really was, fight me) when I ran into a wall. I was given the suggestion to work on something else briefly to find my thunder again for Paleblood. But in doing so... I wound up writing this entire chapter in almost one sitting. Like 90% done on the first day with a conclusion and quick skim read an hour into the next day. Here it is.

Now I'll be going back to Paleblood. Hopefully that'll be done by the end of this week.

On with the show.

* * *

Coralynne Stradt, also known as Caroline Cloverfield to the mundane populous, was walking through the quad of Brother Andrews' High when she spotted something that made her brow rise. And then quickly fall into a flat line that would have made Chase proud.

The aforementioned Chase was, naturally, the reason for such a reaction. She didn't know how he did it. But he a special gift from above that granted him the ability to piss off everyone and everything that came in contact with him. And he had managed to piss off the one person she didn't want him to come into contact at all.

"You! You smell like a damn fucking fox! What the hell are you doing here?!"

She let out a small groan while her fingers rubbed at her right temple. The scene was gathering a number of eyes. If she didn't step in soon, she wasn't sure she could stop Chase from maiming the poor fool.

Although, it was quite the sight. Chase was being held up by the collar of his shirt. His feet couldn't touch the ground. It would have been amusing if it were literally anyone else other than the most dangerous person in the city.

"You must be new," Chase said in a deceptively calm voice. "Put me down before I make you eat through a straw for the rest of your life."

A snort and feral growl mixed into one, "You? You're barely half my size."

"Which will make it all the more embarrassing when it comes true," Chase said as he put his hands around the wrists of the one holding him up.

Coralynne stepped in, "Chris."

The brutish young man's head snapped to the side. She didn't need to give him any further warning as their eyes met. She saw how much he wanted to challenge her but knew better. He snarled and tossed Chase away before stomping off and muttering profanities about her.

With the show over, her schoolmates went back to their own business. Some snorted at Chase, who was wiping the dirt off his pants, while others who remembered the previous years' incidents were questioning why Chris was still in school. The crowds dispersed into their own cliques and life went on.

She blew out a puff of air and released the spell that had everyone ignore what just happened.

"So," Chase tried to smooth out the wrinkles the other young man made along his shirt. "Who's Big, Hairy, and Smells Like Wet Dog?"

"Chris Fleicher," she answered immediately. "He transferred this year while you were gone. Used to live in Arizona but got in a bit of trouble. His sister decided to move him over here and put him in this school to shape up his character. You should have seen him when he first arrived."

Chase was looking more and more irritated when he couldn't fix his ruined shirt. Not only was it wrinkled but Chris' strength had pulled on the fabric and stretched the collar. It now looked like it could fit a whole watermelon through the neck. One of the buttons was missing.

"Please don't kill him," Coralynne pleaded.

"The shirt Claudia bought me is ruined," he grumbled, borderline growled. "I already got a detention because it's all black and I can't do anything about it. And the girl working this morning gave me the wrong coffee. Classes haven't even started. Pretty fucking sure _somebody_ is going to get killed before noon if this is how my day is going to be."

"If it's anything to consider…" Coralynne fixed a stray hair behind her ear as she eyed him. "Thank you for making an effort. It's nice to see you in school again."

"Yeah, well, give it a week," he grumbled, this time full of sourness. He never learned how to take a compliment. "So what's with you? You suddenly the student president or something?"

He asked while glancing at wherever Hurricane Chris Fleicher rolled towards.

"He tried to assume dominance on my territory," she answered while looking over that way as well. "The first time I had Cornelius knock him down a peg. It wasn't enough to convince him I'm top bitch here on account I had Cornelius do it for me. So I put him in his place when he tried again. Now he knows better than to question my authority."

Chase nodded with simple acceptance, "What is he?"

"That's need to know," she cut him off with a stern look. "Just like how I'm not asking about why you 'smell like a fox'."

"He said 'damn fucking fox'," he pointed out. "Damn and fucking are pretty important when you're categorizing something. Don't forget it. And that's need to know."

"Fine. But I _need to know_ if it has something to do with any of the fires last night."

"Have you ever bothered to think that, _maybe_ , fires happen naturally or because people are plain stupid?" he sassed back. "Not every fire-related disaster going on in the city is made by my hands."

"You're also not answering the question," she crossed her arms.

"I did not start any fires," he looked up at her with a flat gaze. "I blew up a couple of things but I made sure it was mostly kinetic rather than combustion."

She sighed with frustration, "I thought we agreed you were going to be taking thing easy—"

"I don't recall those words exactly."

"Do you understand any problems you cause reflects back on the city as a whole?" she rubbed at her temple briefly before forcing her hand back down. "Things have quieted down while you've been gone. While it's not perfect and still has its problems, you don't need to appoint yourself as the city's lone security force. There is a system in place for a reason. A system _you_ designed for Claudia and I."

"You know I designed it with myself in mind," he countered.

"And you are not Claudia's Grave Keeper anymore," she argued. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath. Her voice was starting to rise. She calmed herself back down. "God I forgot how frustrating you can be. Chase, I understand this place is your home. And I understand how much you care for it. But let Claudia and I take care of it. Isn't that why you made sure we became queens of the city?"

He had no response.

"Does… whatever you're doing have to do with the girl in your company Saturday morning?" she asked next.

"That reminds me," his head snapped up at her. "What the hell is Michael doing working at McDonald's? Doesn't that kid have a full ride to college?"

"Things happened while you were gone," she said bluntly. "Personal things you should ask him directly. Please don't ignore my question. What have you gotten yourself involved in this time?"

"Nothing I can't take care of myself," he said in a matching blunt tone.

"But is it something that I should be concerned about?"

He let out a long huff of air. His brows furrowed with annoyance, "Look, it's just some runaway who knows nothing about the city. She was being hunted by a vampire when I found her. You know how it goes; kill one and the whole coven follows. So until I clear things out, I'm taking care of her."

Their eyes locked for a long time. The bell rang but they ignored it.

Finally, she spoke, "You have a terrible habit of taking in strays. And getting involved in things that will escalate poorly. I swear by the end of the week we're going to be facing off against some Progenitor-class vampire."

"I am _not_ a magnet for trouble," he said almost childishly.

"I didn't say that," she pointed out. "I'm going to class. We can talk about this later. Do you have your schedule?"

"Yeah…" he grumbled at the reminder of classes. He pulled out a folded sheet of paper from his back pocket and reviewed it. "Got chemistry first thing in the morning. Room 301. How many detentions do you think I can score on today alone? I'm betting five."

"I'm not worried about your attitude," she said as she began to walk away. "I'm worried about what those girls will say when they find out you're back. Have fun with classes, Chase!"

He didn't respond. Five steps later, she heard him swear. It put a smile on her face.

0-0-0

This morning, Lillian tried her best to impress her mate. Today he would be going back to school and she was determined to fulfill her role as a supportive mate. So while he showered before dawn, she was up preparing his breakfast and lunch. Already aware of his habits, she prepared the breakfast of eggs, bacon, lettuce and tomato into a sandwich for them to eat on the front porch. They watched the sunrise together in silent bliss.

She never understood why this was a ritual for him. With the way his face softened whenever the sun rose during the morning and fell at night, there was a deeper meaning to it than mere admiration for the scenery. It seemed personal. Too personal considering he never mentioned it to her. One day she will ask.

After sharing a conversation afterwards, he left for the day. He didn't take the car as he chose to walk.

With her mate gone, Lillian had the whole house to herself.

She didn't realize how lonely the place was until she was the only one here. The house, while nowhere near as large as the chateau in her Florida home, was much too spacious for a small family like her mate's. He didn't live in rich luxury like she had, thus making her ponder upon the purpose of having such an expansive home with so many bedrooms.

There was an aura surrounding the house. It craved to be filled with more people.

Or that might just be Lillian's thinking. Now that her mate was out of the house she felt lonely. Barely a few minutes gone and she wanted to be by his side. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and press his face against her chest. She wanted to tease him until that adorable scowl of his would have her smothering him even further.

Instead, she was left to wallow in boredom.

"No Sunny! Can't you tell she's in love with Max and not you?!"

And so, with it not even being noon yet, she was laying upside-down on the couch watching some corny soap opera on television. It first started with her flipping through the channels out of boredom before she stumbled upon this show, _Days of Our Lives._ There was a bit of drama between two teenage characters and she decided to keep watching for research purposes. Maybe she'd be able to learn a few things to shorten the distance between her and her mate.

But the characters were so flat there was no way they could be used as resourceful references. She ended up watching the show out of sheer entertainment for the lackluster drama and poor acting.

Her feet kicked against the head of the couch. Inari was she _bored_. She wanted her beloved to come home already.

When the show ended and some game show started up, she turned off the television and flipped herself over. She had to do something to occupy herself and make time move faster. She decided to clean.

…Except there wasn't much she could do. Her mate was pretty meticulous when it came to these sorts of things. He even went as far as to straighten the picture frames whenever he passed by them. The kitchen was already cleaned from this morning. And other than straightening the pillows she just used on the couch, there wasn't anything she could do to the living room.

Her venture took her upstairs. The double doors leading to his mother's room (while she had been told to not enter) were locked. The spare bedrooms were pretty spartan so there wasn't any point in entering them. And her beloved had cleaned the upstairs bathroom yesterday. She supposed she _could_ clean the tub since they both used it today. But it was a little redundant.

She entered his room. Now that she was staying here, he had placed clean sheets on his bed instead of a plain blanket over a naked mattress he had previously used. They were still clean and didn't need to be replaced. And Lillian had made sure to straighten the sheets as soon as she woke up.

She slumped where she stood. There was positively nothing useful she could do around here! How was she supposed to impress her mate if there was nothing impressive to come home to?! He wasn't going to look around and see all the hard work she put in and pat her head.

"Pat my head? Arry-san, you're pretty softcore. I'm trying to figure out a way to get in his pants."

Small steps, Lillian. And you're not supposed to talk to me. Your mate doesn't like it.

"Well I'm bored! What else am I supposed to do while he's not here?!"

As Lillian flailed her arms around like a child—

"I did no such thing. Don't make the readers believe I'm some generic love interest who throws fits when they don't get what they want. Those are trash and hit the bottom of the polls."

—she noticed her mate's bookshelf filled to the brim with novels, western comics and, _listen closely Lillian_ , a few manga.

"Manga?" her head snapped around like a wolf smelling fresh blood. Her eyes landed on the bookshelf shoved into the corner of the room beside the dresser. With the positioning of the furnishings and the gaming system, this corner was the only place the bookshelf would fit. She had noticed it before but it didn't have as much grandeur as everything else in Chase's room.

He had a large collection of books. Most of them were paperback and stacked on top of each other. The hardcover books were on the top shelf and looked untouched— probably collectors and first editions with how decorative the writing was on the spine. When she pulled one book out to examine, she noticed there was another row behind that one, which meant he had twice as many books as she thought.

And towards the bottom rows of the bookshelf were the American comic books. There were dividers with labels to tell her what series they belonged to. Her mate had organized them according to their publishing number. There were so much more of them compared to the paperback novels.

…Shoved off to the side, leaning against the bookshelf but not really being a part of it were three manga volumes. _Bleach, Naruto,_ and _Dragon Ball._ They weren't even the starting volumes. They were random volumes in the middle of the series.

She read those anyways, even when she didn't understand the story. It took her less than an hour to finish them.

Still bored, she looked at the American comics. She didn't know where to start. She recognized some of the bigger names like Superman and Batman and the Avengers (mostly because there were billboards of their live action movies all across the country). But there were also other heroes and series she didn't recognize like X-Men, Green Lantern, Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Sharks, and… Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

She didn't know what to think of that last one.

Going through the list, she stumbled upon his collection of Star Wars comics. It was only because they watched most of the movies yesterday did she pull out a few of them and start to read. She was confused at first with the story but as she read on she began to understand based on what she saw in the movies. After that…

"Oh so that's why they built the Death Star. No wonder beloved hates the Rebels so much…"

Her ears twitched. Her head snapped up.

The sound of the front door's lock clicking open reached her.

She gasped and looked at the time. Wait. There wasn't a clock anywhere in this room. How much time had passed?! Was it that hour already?! Had she spent the last couple hours browsing over—

She looked at the scattered mess of comics on the floor.

—forty-seven volumes?! That many?! And look at the mess she made! Her beloved was going to blow a gasket if he saw her like this.

She moved swiftly, using both her hands as well as her tails to reorganize the shelf. She placed the comics back into their protective sleeves and place them in their proper order. Once that was done, she hurried out of the room, down the hallway, and slid down the railing of the stairway.

"Beloved!" she said once she caught onto his scent. He was in the kitchen. She hopped onto the bottom floor and hurried towards him. "Welcome home! Would you like dinner, or a bath, or maybe— oh my gosh what happened?!"

While she lost track of time and couldn't pull off the Naked Apron technique like she wanted, she was determined to say these famous lines anyways. Unfortunately, the sight of him had her reeling back.

His shirt was a mess, there was a bright red mark on his cheek that strongly resembled a handprint, and his right eye was swollen and black.

"Hello, Lillian," he said as he placed his backpack down on one of the dining chairs. He looked himself over and began to explain while pointing to his shirt, his check, and then to his eye. "Some chump tried to pick a fight with me. Jan slapped me after flirting with me and then realizing who I was. And Ginger decked me as hard as she could the moment she saw me. Oddly enough, it was a pretty good day."

Lillian was aghast. "Who did _what_?! I don't know who those hussies are, but if they think they can touch my mate and get away with it—"

"It's fine," he said in a firm voice.

"But—"

"It's fine," he repeated. "They're friends. And they have a right to be mad at me."

"Yeah but—" she tried to argue still.

"I've been through worse, Lillian," he said as he looked at his reflection from the kitchen oven. He tapped at the edge of his black eye. "I think I'll live with a shiner for a few days. The handprint better be gone by tomorrow though."

Lillian was fuming. She didn't know who these girls were but she swore a bloody vengeance upon them and their children for what they've done to her beloved. What bothered her more was his complete disregard for their offense. He was _fine_ with being treated like this!

"At least let me heal that," she said with worry as she stepped forward. One of her tails moved around with the tip pointing towards his eye.

"Don't," he said as he grabbed the tip with his fingers.

An electric shock ran through her tail and up her spine.

He went on without noticing, "Ginger will probably deck me again if I suddenly show up the next day without it. She knew exactly where to hit and how hard. If she wanted to only inflict pain she would have kicked me in the groin. The black eye is kinda just there to remind me… Lillian?"

He finally noticed her. It only took her panting, a hand clutched against her chest with the other between her legs, and her squirming around where she stood. Her face was probably flushed based on how hot it felt.

"Beloved, if you wanted me all you had to do was say something," she purred.

He looked her over with an analytical gaze, dissecting her as though she were a new breed of species he had never come across (which was more than likely true considering she was a kitsune). He blinked once. His eyes scanned her body, trailed over to her tail, and eventually landed on the part that was being pinched between his fingers.

He pinched a little harder.

"Ahn~" Lillian gasped as another wave of euphoria swept through her. "B-Beloved. Not that hard. You're going to break me."

Although she said this, her eyes were screaming at him to pinch a little harder. Rub the base up and down. Tease her until she was at her limit. Make her scream out his name as he bent her over the table and went to town on her!

"…You know," he said in a low voice as he let go of her tail. "If you weren't so serious about me, I probably would have slept with you."

All she felt was disappointment as she drew her tail back. He had riled her up and wasn't going to take responsibility. His words also confused her.

"I don't understand," she said. " _Shouldn't_ we get our freak on because I'm so serious about you being my mate?"

He paused to consider his words, "If all you wanted was a physical relationship, I would have complied. It's because you want something more from me would it leave an impression on the kind of sex we have. There's a difference between fucking and making love. Tell me which one you would prefer."

Honestly, she wouldn't mind going at it like rabbits. She loved him. It was a bonus he was physically fit and dashing. While, sure, he wasn't as tall as she had hoped he would be at this age, he wasn't unattractive. She wanted him to look at her with that intense stare when their lives were on the line.

But… yes, there was a difference. She would accept it if their relationship was one-sided. She would seduce him until he fell in love with her. But if she could have the choice, she would prefer their love making to be, well, exactly that.

"What I want doesn't matter," she tried as she approached him. "I love you, beloved. All I want is to make you happy. I would do anything for you. To you."

Before she could press herself against him, he placed a hand on her shoulder. He did so without looking away from her. His stare was hard and unflinching.

"And if I asked you to leave, would you?"

She felt cold as her heart fell into her stomach.

He searched through her eyes until finding something satisfying. "Lillian, I don't want a slave. You should have your own desires and opinions. A relationship is a partnership. It is when two people compromise on a middle ground. You should never surrender yourself to someone else."

The hand on her shoulder gave her a comforting squeeze. It was the first gesture of genuine care he had given her.

"Having that said," he sighed as he looked away. His brows fell into a flat line as he placed both hands on his hips. "I haven't been entirely fair to you. I've been keeping you at a distance. Look, we hardly know anything about each other. This is all going too fast. Humans usually date for months before getting this intimate. What I'm trying to say is…

"I get you're a kitsune," he said as he looked back at her. "You're different from humans with different standards. I don't fully understand but I'm going to try. I'm going to try to meet you halfway. All I ask is that you do the same. We might not agree on a few things but that's how relationships work."

Her eyes widened, "Then… does this mean I passed? You're going to be my mate?!"

"What? No," he shot her down without hesitation. "You still have two weeks to change my mind about kicking you out of here. I'm only saying I'm going to be getting to know you. Humans go through a dating process in order to figure out if they like their partner enough to be in a long-term relationship with them. Instead of doing that for several months, I'm going to compress that into two weeks."

She felt deflated. Here she thought she had achieved her goal in only a few days' time. In the end, he was only removing the handicap. It was both good and bad, she guessed.

"You know what?" she clenched her fists against her chest and gave him a determined look. "I'll take it! I'll be sure to win your heart over! In two weeks you'll be bending me over this table!"

"…Let's start with getting to know each other first," he said while heading towards the kitchen, dismissing her words entirely. He began to rummage through one of the drawers. He pulled out a few pamphlets and flipped through them. "I'm thinking about ordering Chinese tonight. Do you want anything in particular?"

"If you want, I can cook dinner, beloved," she offered as she eyed the fridge. "There are a couple things I can make with what you have. You don't have to order take-out."

"Well if you don't want Chinese, we can order something else," he said with as much dispassion as before. He flashed her the various menu pamphlets in his hand, "We got pizza, subs, Mexican, Korean, burgers…"

"It's not a bother at all if I cook, Chase," she assured. "I really don't mind."

"Fun fact #1 about me," he began while browsing one particular menu, "I grew up on take-out and frozen dinners from my mother and all sorts of restaurants from my father. An actual home cooked meal only happened during holidays. Now, I'm kinda in the mood for sushi. What do you think?"

She realized he was trying to make a point. Relationships were a compromise. And he was going to try to learn about her. He was trying to meet her halfway with her (to what he believed to be outrageous) standards.

She should do the same.

"Sure," she said with a smile. She walked up to him as he spread the menu onto the countertop. She took the chance to lean against him as they looked at it together. "Sushi sounds pretty good… and healthier than any of those other options."

"Yeah, I've never been concerned with my health before," he said dully.

She noticed. All the coffee and soda he drank on a daily basis was far from healthy, especially when she was the one who made him drink water. And considering what he had just said about his diet, he would have never eaten anything decent without her.

She didn't comment on it.

Because he began to lean back on her. They rested on the other from shoulder to shoulder. His expression never changed as though this first level of intimacy was but a natural reaction.

Inside her mind, she was squealing.

They made their selection. He called the restaurant and they sat on the couch, watching TV and chatting as they waited for their food to arrive. They talked about trivial things, such as how his first day back at school was and what she did while he was away.

 _"A man was found dead in Inglewood late last night…"_

 _"A gas explosion went off on a private yacht at the Port of Los Angeles…"_

 _"Police are still looking for fourteen-year-old Natasha Gomez…"_

He stopped their conversations to listen to these news reports on the screen. Lillian listened to them too only because of her mate's interest. While tragic, she couldn't find them to be relative to her and her mate. He probably only cared for them out of some personal interest.

He disregarded them just as easily as she did and they resumed their conversation.

0-0-0

As soon as school was done, Claudia headed straight for her office in Downtown Los Angeles, locked herself inside, sprawled herself over the leather sofa, and zonked out for the next couple of hours. It was a ritualistic thing for her. As a unique Progenitor where she was a perfect human-vampire hybrid, she didn't need to sleep as much as the regular human nor did she need to avert herself away from the sunlight like most vampires.

There were still limitations. She could go a full week without sleep, which was equal to a human's sixteen hour average tolerance. And she couldn't just go commando and bathe in the sunlight. She'd wind up as red as a tomato within the first hour. Sunblock was her best friend.

…And based on the way things were going with her love life, she might wind up marrying it.

She awoke at sunset, thirty minutes before her first appointment for the evening. She got up, stretched, and headed towards the private bathroom hidden behind a part of the wall that swiveled around. She freshened up, changed out of her Saint Lucy's schoolgirl uniform and into a business dress, and spent the next twenty minutes debating over what kind of bow she wanted to use for her hair.

 _"Lady Angelica, your 6:00 is here,"_ the intercom on her desk went off.

"Send them in three minutes from now," she said aloud. She decided on the cardinal ribbon. It was thin and wouldn't distract those she would have to deal with today. She only needed a moment to tie up her hair, her hands moving with a practiced grace only the likes of an immortal could accomplish.

 _"Ma'am, security has informed me the Matriarch of House Mul just drove up. Shall I have her escorted off the premises?"_

Claudia couldn't hold back the smile. Her eyes flicked over towards the tall tinted windows that took up the entirety of her back wall. The view of the city was being shadowed by the falling sun. Chase would be watching the sunset once the sun came a little lower. He did an amazing job if someone like Luna Mul was going to her directly. As expected of her (former) Grave Keeper.

She walked over to her discarded wheelchair. She had leapt off of it to land on the couch as soon as she could, knocking it over. She picked it up and pulled it towards her desk.

"No, receive her as you normally would," she answered back to her receptionist. "But see if you can stall her for a bit. Make sure she reaches me once the screaming starts."

 _"Very good, ma'am."_

Claudia took the moment to make sure her seat was perfectly centered with her desk before taking a seat. She adjusted her posture and rolled her shoulders. Her hands fell into her lap. Her three minutes were almost up.

Her office was appropriately modeled based on her status as queen. It was a rectangular space at thirty feet long and twenty-five wide consisting of dark oak flooring for her to wheel around in, glass and marble shelves full of documents and records within three inch binders placed to one side of the room, paintings of a few of the city's iconic buildings and landscapes made by local artists, and few standard couches, chairs, and tables typically used when conversing with important figures… and today's first appointment.

There were a few other things within the room, such as her booze collection and the white tiger rug (it was real and was the cutest thing ever when she raised it as a cub) and the pictures with her shaking hands with figureheads and celebrities. But they were mostly there as background fill that had no importance to the impression she wanted to make.

Everything had been painstakingly placed to make _her_ the center of focus. The fact her back was to the window that viewed the city was her first priority.

The doors opened.

She put up her best smile, "Mister Valmont. Come in. Make yourself comfortable."

Two had made their way into her spider's web. The door shut behind them without anyone touching it— a common feat practiced within the vampire community and still effective no matter how many times it was performed. The man she addressed as a low-blood vampire who had been changed in his early twenties when he was human. He was composed, fully in control with his nature which indicated he had been a vampire for a few decades now. But he was still young if he was going to be making mistakes like the one he had just done recently.

The one following behind him was a young girl. Not as young as Claudia appeared but still too young to be one of their ageless kind. She knew the girl was fourteen. And her eyes were full of a crazed hunger that was barely maintained. Like a grenade that would explode the very moment the grip around it slipped. She would be only a few days old.

"And this must be Miss Gomez," Claudia gave the girl a delightful smile. "I've seen your face on the local news. How do you do? Can I get you two anything? A drink perhaps?"

"A drink?" the girl said the word as eagerly as a dog would hear his master's whistle. Her large brown eyes _did_ make her look like a puppy. It was so sad Claudia couldn't help but fall for her.

"Thank you, Lady Angelica," Valmont spoke elegantly and with a slight French accent. "We are fine."

Natasha looked a little upset. But a bond between two vampires was stronger than marriage. She sensed something within the alpha vampire and eased back her eagerness. She shook her head for Claudia.

"Well, it's after five for me," Claudia grabbed the rim of her wheels and pulled herself away from the desk and over towards her mini bar. "Don't mind me as I pour myself a drink."

Not a word was exchanged as she felt their eyes upon her. She grabbed a glass, filled it with two cubes of ice, and filled a third of the glass with whiskey.

"You weren't talking about blood?" Natasha couldn't hold back her surprise. "But… aren't you a child for—"

The girl squeaked suddenly. Claudia pretended to have not noticed the psychic whiplash the girl endured from her master. Valmont must have sent one mean of a warning glare while Claudia's back was turned.

Claudia's lovely smile shifted as she turned around. She didn't need to draw up an ounce of her power for this. Years of ruling as one of the most powerful beings on the planet tended to mold her presence into something unworldly. There was no need to impress this girl to the point of soiling herself.

Both lesser vampires stiffened like statues by her gaze.

"Thank you," Claudia said with a delighted giggle.

She said nothing else as she willed her chair forward. It obeyed as she held her glass with both hands. She was back at the center of her desk.

Hmm. She was a few centimeters off from the center. She should have listened to Chase's suggestion and put tape behind her desk. No one would see, he argued.

Now where was she…? Ah, Valmont.

"Do you know why you are here, Mister Valmont?" Claudia asked in a sweet and friendly tone. A welcoming tone. An honest tone.

He stepped up and stood tall. He met her gaze as he dipped his head slightly. "I am aware I have committed a crime when I converted my sweet Natasha. I had made her as one of my own without asking for your blessing. I have insulted you. I beg for your forgiveness."

That was putting things mildly.

Claudia drank to that.

"There is that," she agreed. "In order to ensure our species from being exposed to the unsuspecting humans as well as to avoid any unnecessary retribution from vampire hunters and the Church, the number of vampires permitted to breed must be regulated. It's simple; the more mouths there are to feed, the number of humans being fed upon increase exponentially. Those that do not obey this system are to be treated as strays and are hunted down to ensure the rest of our survival. Do you understand, Valmont?"

"I am no stray, Lady Angelica," Valmont bowed a little deeper. He even bent himself by the waist. Imagine that. "Though I do not answer to any clan or banner, I have never broken any of the laws Progenitor Artus insisted upon us."

"Until now," she pointed out.

"Until now," he agreed grimly. "Lady Angelica, if you are willing to listen to reason, please allow me to plead my case. My sweet Natasha was dying. She had fallen from the rooftop of her school's gymnasium. There was naught I could do to save her other than to turn her into one of us. You must understand I did it to save her life."

Claudia took another drink.

She knew everything about Natasha Gomez, including her history of psychiatric help due to a father that molested her and classmates that bullied her. She knew all the details regarding Natasha's _fall_. How convenient was it for Tristan Valmont to be there at the moment the girl climbed over the wired fence of the restricted rooftop at a time when the sun should have still been up?

The question was… how should she approach this matter?

She continued to count down the time. Luna Mul should be ascending through the elevator at this moment. She'll be reaching Claudia's office in a few moments. If she weren't on the clock, Claudia would have been a little… gentler about this situation.

But, she had an impression to make as a queen.

"I do understand," she said with a sad smile. "Really, I do. But the law is still the law, Mister Valmont. If I don't give you a punishment, I may as well let all those other strays roam around my city without control."

He stiffened, "I… I understand. I understand the appropriate punishment is to separate me from my child."

"What?" Natasha gasped.

"The punishment for illegal conversion is death, Mister Valmont," Claudia corrected.

"What?!" Natasha took a step towards her master. She clutched against his arm.

"It is rather excessive, isn't it?" Claudia gave her a sympathetic smile. "Mister Valmont, I have seen a few of your paintings from decades ago being auctioned off at local gallerias. They're marvelous. Do you still paint?"

"…Yes?" Valmont answered slowly, wary of where she was going with this. He spoke a little more confidently once Claudia's smile brightened. "Yes, I do. Painting is my passion ever since the time before. My sweet Natasha will be my masterpiece."

Natasha would have blushed if she still could. She bowed her head and averted her gaze from the both of them.

"Now," Claudia leaned forward with her elbows propped on the desk. She was eager and let it show. "This is mostly out of curiosity. But I've noticed by the way you do the strokes I believe you favor your left hand when you paint. Is this true?"

"Yes, it is," he said with mild astonishment but more pride in himself for receiving this degree of praise.

"Can you not paint with your right?" she asked next.

"No, Lady Angelica," he shook his head with slight embarrassment. He raised his right arm and flexed. His hand couldn't form fully into a fist. "When I was alive, I defended my brother against a wild dog. The best I can do with this hand is hold my fork. Sometimes my food makes it to my mouth."

They both laughed at the vampiric humor. Natasha was still too young to understand but laughed anyways.

"Fascinating," Claudia said as she clapped her hands together. "In regards to your punishment for reviving this young girl, I believe I have found something appropriate befitting your circumstances.

"Your left arm. I want it."

While she kept her smile, theirs had fallen.

"I… beg your pardon?" Valmont spoke like a man who had gone to bed and woke up in a completely unrelated place.

"The arm you use to paint with," she repeated. "I want you to cut it off and hand it over to me. No pun intended."

She needed to wrap up this meeting. Luna Mul was walking down the hallway. She could feel the presence of a hurricane make its way towards her.

Claudia's stomach suddenly growled. That's what she gets for skipping out on lunch to play a couple rounds with her friends. But rather than be embarrassed by this, which would normally cut every bit of tension she purposely created in today's meeting, she found opportunity.

Her smile grew to one of delight, "How perfect! I'll have it right now then as my dinner."

She hit a button on her intercom.

A second after, the doors threw open and her private security marched in. The two vampires spun around and tensed. Claudia pointed at Valmont and the majority of security went towards him while two others went towards Natasha on the chance (she most likely will) she would try to defend him.

"Left arm," Claudia commanded. "Five inches up from the elbow. Bring it to me on the tea tray over there, thank you."

She took another sip as she watched. Normally, a vampire as old as Valmont would have been more than enough to deal with the group of human security guards. The only reason why he wasn't manhandling them like ragdolls were because of the bible pages lining their vests and the blessed weapons strapped to their holsters. Valmont couldn't approach them without harming himself.

He shouted when they grabbed and pinned him down. He tried to use his superhuman strength to lift them off but most of his powers were being suppressed by their holy armaments. He couldn't even turn into mist to slip away.

He began to scream when one of them pulled out a rune-etched dagger and carved into exactly where Claudia specified. Natasha wept and begged for Claudia to make them stop as she was being held back by two guards.

Claudia took another drink. She looked at her glass. There was only ice left. Had she finished her drink already? She hardly felt warm from the liquor.

A moment later, one of the guards approached her desk with the arm folded neatly onto the silver tray by the decorative tea set across the room. He also pulled out a regular knife and cut off the magically burned flesh used by the other blade. She raised her glass towards him; he took it, went over to the bar, and refilled her drink for her.

"Thank you, Gerome," she said sincerely once he returned. "Please escort Mister Valmont and his associate off the premises."

"Yes, ma'am," Gerome replied with a grim but professional nod. This wasn't the first time her team had to do something like this. Nor the dirtiest. He and the rest of the crew dragged the bloodied Valmont out of her office while a weeping Natasha was being led out by the arm.

Claudia pulled the tray a little closer to her and examined it. It wasn't exactly the best choice of meat. There was a lot of hair. Nevertheless, she leaned over to her middle drawer and pulled out a set of cutlery.

Her eyes darted to the pool of blood. It looks like she was going to have to replace the flooring of her office. Again.

"Angelica."

The doors had been left open. A tall woman with navy hair stood at the doorway.

"Miss Mul," Claudia gave her the same friendly smile she gave everyone else. "Please come in. I hope you don't mind that I have my dinner break while we talk. I figured whatever you had to discuss must be urgent with your sudden arrival."

The kitsune disguised as a human glanced over to the pool of blood before gliding within her territory. The doors remained open— there was no need to use that particular vampire trick on a person like this. She stopped a few feet away from Claudia's desk with one hand on her hip and balance favoring her right leg. Her posture read a sort of impatience that wasn't preemptive but would also not accept any tomfoolery.

"Would you like a drink?" Claudia offered as she flipped over Valmont's arm and began to cut into the forearm.

"Is this how you normally manage your affairs?" Luna jabbed without hesitation.

Claudia gave a mocking laugh while keeping up her smile, "Only to skumbags who indirectly convince a troubled still blossoming girl into suicide and reanimate them for their perverted desires."

Were it any other time, she would have exposed all of this in front of Natasha. It would have been better for the girl to have that Band-Aid ripped off this early on. Valmont will probably abandon her once he grew bored of her.

She lifted the piece of cut meat with perfected elegance to her lips and chewed.

"I wasn't talking about the vampire," Luna spoke without a trace of disturbance in her voice. The woman was as refined as Claudia, if not more. "I was referring to your Grave Keeper assaulting me and my clansmen. This is a direct attack on House Mul, Progenitor Angelica."

Claudia lowered her fork as she gazed up at the woman. There was no need to smile at this point. "I'm afraid there's something you misunderstand. I have no Grave Keeper at the moment."

Luna's eyes went flat, "Regardless if what you say is true or not, you still hold responsibility over this. You are the ruling lord of this city. I demand justice for the clansmen he butchered."

Claudia nodded a few times. Her eyes were full of understanding. "Miss Mul, do you happen to have insurance for the Lamborghini you drove in?"

"Is that a threat?" Luna's eyes narrowed.

"Not yet," Claudia gave an apologetic smile and a shake of her head. "Suppose you're driving on the freeway when all of a sudden a meteor falls from the sky and totals your car. You call your insurance company and they decide it's more cost effective to replace the car instead of having it repaired.

"In this example, that Lamborghini would be your clan, I would be the insurance, and Chase would be that meteor. It's terrible what he did to your clansmen, truly it is. But I have to evaluate the cost effectiveness on both sides. I have to weigh the costs between reprimanding him and letting him go.

"And when it comes to Chase, you're just not worth it. I can write you a check right now if you'd like. How does $350,000 sound? Insurance typically pays for two-thirds of the vehicle coverage."

The air became thick as Luna's youki oozed out along with her killing intent. Claudia sat still as she kept her gaze locked on the woman. Her sympathetic smile remained.

"Am I to understand you will be doing nothing to this boy?" Luna asked with an even tone.

"I'll be sure to give him a stern lecture," Claudia replied but looked away quickly as she considered what she just said. "Although, I can't guarantee he will listen."

"I see," Luna nodded once. "Then coming here was pointless. It would seem despite your age you're as childish as you appear."

"Thank you," she said and meant it. "I try hard to keep up appearances. I'm sorry I can't be of any help to you, Miss Mul. Perhaps you'd like to take your complaint up with Kuroneko? Maybe she'd be able to help you."

"I figured it would be best to go to the head of the source," Luna said with disdain. "It would seem since justice will not be delivered, I must take justice into my own hands. Since he is no longer your Grave Keeper, then you will have no problem with me going after him?"

"I wouldn't recommend it but I also wouldn't stop you," Claudia commented plainly. "So long as the general populous is left out of harm's way, I see no reason to argue against it. You have my permission to hunt him."

Luna studied her for no longer than a second. "Good. That will be all, Angelica."

She turned and went back the way she came.

"Happy hunting, Miss Mul," Claudia wished her all the best of luck. She was going to need it.

Once Luna was back in the hallway, Claudia willed the doors shut. She was hidden from everyone's view.

The first thing she did was pull out the trashcan from beneath her desk and dump Valmont's arm into it. Garbage. It was like eating discount rubber meat. His blood tasted like cardboard. She was a little too used to the grade A steaks her father's chefs made for her.

It made her miss Chase. She sprawled herself across her desk as she wallowed on an empty stomach. She wanted to see him and bite into him. The idea of that made her legs squirm together.

"Hannah, please bring me up some ice cream and a pack of AB+," Claudia said aloud. Her receptionist on the bottom floor was always listening. "Before that, be sure to blow up Miss Mul's car. Have it explode when she's close enough to feel the shockwave. And then mail her a check for $350,000."

 _"At once, ma'am. Would you like vanilla or butter pecan?"_

Claudia paused to consider her options. "Vanilla."

A moment later, there came a knock on the door and a staff member walked in with a cart of her requested meal. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream and a pack of blood on the side. She thanked the man and dismissed him.

Claudia cut open the pack and delicately poured the blood over the ice cream like syrup. She cradled the bowl with one hand as she spun around to watch the remainder of the sunset. Her next appointment wouldn't be for a while.


	6. Chapter 6

It was Wednesday morning. Lillian was cooking breakfast for the two of them when she heard shouting at the front. She heard her beloved raise his voice out in anger. Something must have happened while he was watching the dawn.

She was worried. She was only grilling the vegetables for their omelets so she put the burner down on the lowest settings and hurried towards the front of the house.

Her mate was yelling and jabbing a finger towards another man. They were arguing about something with the wired fence between them. She couldn't tell what they were saying because they were arguing in Spanish.

When she stepped out onto the porch, hiding her kitsune features before doing so, she had drawn the attention of the man facing towards the house. And in doing so, her beloved had noticed her presence. He craned his head around to give her a sideways glance before going back to the man.

He spoke in a low voice but not with any less ill intent. He pointed back up the road.

The other man said something beneath his breath, turned, and got into his pickup truck. There were a lot of strange contraptions being bound together in the back. The car started and he drove off.

"Beloved?" she called out once he started to head towards the house. "Is everything alright?"

"Just the gardener showing up to do his damn job for once," he growled with irritation. "Hasn't been here since the old hag left on vacation and thought to get an easy job by showing up today instead of the three weeks he was supposed to. I told him I was her son, I did all the work, and then I fired him."

He climbed up the steps to meet her. His eyes glanced over to the couch used to watch the sunrise. His eyes flicked over towards the roofs of the other houses, specifically towards the placement of the sun.

She realized he was more upset with having his ritualistic habit being interrupted than the lack of profession in the gardener.

"Breakfast won't be ready for a while," she offered. "Do you want me to bring you coffee while you finish watching the sunrise?"

"No, it's fine," he breathed out. And with it was all of his aggression washed away. His permanent scowl didn't go with it, but it softened enough for her to know he was calm again. "I'll just read the paper or watch the morning news. What's for breakfast?"

"Sinless omelets," she said proudly.

She watched him place the plastic sheet over the couch and grab the newspaper roll resting at its feet. When he finished, he blinked as though finally realizing what she just said.

"That's… what?" his brows furrowed with confusion. "Egg whites and veggies?"

"Yup," she chirped as she opened the door for him.

"Please tell me it at least has some sort of meat," he gave her a flat look.

"Beloved, after eating fast food for dinner last night, I think we should stay away from things like that for the day," she said back with a sweetened smile. Her tails popped out as she used them to shut the door behind them.

"You're going to kill me, Lillian," he said without meaning it. "Just so long as there's no tofu and the coffee isn't decaf, I think I'll survive today's battle."

"You didn't buy tofu so I couldn't add it," she commented while hurrying past him to finish her cooking. The stove was still on. She yelled down the hallway, "And deep fried tofu is the best! I'll make you some someday."

…She also neglected to mention her switching the coffee to a decaf blend.

He didn't ask as he sat at the dining table. He turned on the television and tuned in to the morning news station. He watched the first few sections before unfolding the newspaper and skimming through its contents. It wasn't until a while did he find a proper story did he curl up the newspaper to have it all fit into one hand.

"The gardener showing up tells me something," he said suddenly as he paid attention to both the screen and the article. "The old hag will be showing up within the next couple of days. That guy probably knew the exact date. It could be tomorrow or it could be by the weekend."

Lillian came to the table with two plates of hot food and her tails carrying two mugs of coffee. She placed his down in front of him while sitting at the corner to join him. She purposely stretched her leg out to rub against his; he didn't stop her or move his leg away like the few times before. He didn't even look at her as her calf rubbed against his shin. It was his way of acknowledging and accepting it.

"Do you not have a good relationship with your mother?" she asked out of concern.

"We have an understanding," he said while letting his food settle as he kept reading. He finished and put the paper to the other side of the table. He picked up his fork but stared off ahead in thought. He didn't say anything further. He scoffed at whatever conclusion he came to and began to eat.

"I was just thinking…" she said as she stared at the placing. Here she was sitting at the table eating a meal with him. "You said cooked meals were rare the other day. Are you fine with eating breakfast like this? With me?"

He chewed while placing his fork down at the edge of the plate. The notion was made to tell her he would answer once he was done.

"You're not my mother," he said while looking directly at her. After that, he went to staring back at the screen. But he kept going, "She started to work the graveyard shift right after the divorce. She only came home to sleep and that was during the time I was at school. By the time I came home, about the time dinner usually happens in typical homes, she was off to work again. I only ever got to see her on holidays, sick days, and the occasional shift change.

"So to say, I'm not against the idea of a cooked meal. It's just that I haven't had something prepared for me in a very long time. I appreciate it, Lillian."

She could only smile as her heart swelled. She had thought she had trampled on something she shouldn't have. It relieved her to know it had been the exact opposite.

"What about you?" he asked as he picked up his mug. He took a sip and didn't suspect a thing. "What's your family like?"

"I don't know how to compare it to human families," she admitted but considered how to express the shenanigans and quirks of her family members. "My mother… is a handful. It's usually me or her maid, Kirihime, who take care of her. And my sister is… clingy. The closest thing to a mother I've known would be my maid, Kotohime."

"I see," he said evenly. "Lillian, you don't have to tell me everything. But why did you run away from home?"

It was a sensitive topic. He was trying to be considerate but he was also trying to be her host. He was trying to understand her, to help her. He was also following the only rule he gave her: to make sure no dirt comes into this house.

"The head of the family, the matriarch," she breathed out and placing her fork down. She lost her appetite. "She suggested I mate with someone I had no attachment to. A spoiled brat who only wanted me for my body. I strongly disagreed. Maybe… Maybe I went a little too far and insulted his family. And the matriarch punished me by sending my family to the Florida house while she did damage control.

"I was afraid she was going to force me to mate with that rotten boy. So I ran away as soon as I found my chance. And here I am."

He was silent as he studied her. His gaze was unreadable. His eyes didn't change colors and she didn't feel any invading force enter her mind. And yet it felt like he was seeing through her.

She wasn't lying to him. But she hadn't told him the full truth. She didn't tell him anything about Jiāoào… or his father.

"And you have the audacity to call me American like it's an insult," he said suddenly.

"Eh?" she blinked.

"The first time you were in human form," he pointed his fork at her. "You called me American and for not knowing how to use the metric system. If you've got a house in Florida, you have no right to call me anything. Especially when you went across the country. Wherever you're from, you've developed an American accent. It even sounds Californian."

"Actually," she perked up, "what you're hearing would be your native tongue. Most Youkai have the ability to be understood in any language and vice-versa. In fact, I'm speaking to you in Greek."

He needed a moment to let her words sink in. His brows furrowed, "Now that's just cheating. I had to get exposed to different cultures to understand languages. Did you know there are distinctions between the Spanish spoken in America, Mexico, and Spain? I looked like an ass when I had to go to Madrid for Coralynne's shit."

Her brows rose, "How many languages can you speak? C-Can you speak Japanese?! Can you read it?!"

"I like to avoid anything relating to Japan like the plague," he said bluntly.

"Eh, but why?! Everything from Japan is great! They have anime and manga and light novels and visual novels and hentai! Lots and lots of glorious hentai!"

"Maybe but they also have giant robots fighting giant monsters, secret wars, magical teenage brats wielding powers they don't deserve nor how to use properly, alien invaders, legendary heroes being reincarnated as horny as fuck girls, and every other freak imaginable appearing at least once a week."

"But—"

"Tell me I'm wrong," he demanded, leaning his face close to hers. She would have kissed him if the murderous glint in his eyes didn't frighten her.

She leaned back and struggled to stay calm, "B-Beloved… those things are only in manga."

He moved back to his original seating but never looked away from her. "Have you ever been to Japan, Lillian?"

"No, I've spent most of my life in Greece. America's the only foreign country I've been to."

"Hmm," he hummed in dismissal as he finished his plate. He moved it to the side while cupping his mug with both hands and taking small sips.

"I need to be leaving soon," he said after the moment of silence. "Have you been fine on your own? Would you like some money to go out somewhere?"

"Go out?" she tilted her head. "But I thought you said it wasn't safe for me to go anywhere without you."

"I didn't say that… exactly," he began but then considered his wording. "Well, it's fine right now. So long as you stay in populated areas and come home before nightfall. Don't go into any alleys or shops that only have the one clerk behind the desk. And if you feel like you're being chased like with that vampire, come straight home. If you can't, find the nearest officer and ask for either Claudia or Coralynne Stradt. Can you remember all that?"

"I can," she nodded. "You don't have to worry about me. I've managed to keep myself busy while you are away at school. But if I'm allowed to go out… I can think of a few places to go."

A smile crossed her lips as she took a sip of her decaf.

"There's not much you can do here in terms of entertainment," he said while glancing around. He shrugged, "I'll leave some money on the table if you choose to go out. Just remember what I said."

"Thank you beloved, but I'll be fine without it," she looked right at him with a soft smile. "I've already taken so much from you. I feel bad taking advantage of your kindness."

"Money is more of a triviality than a problem for me," he said as he stood up from his seat. "I'll still leave it here. You can decide whether to take it or not."

She got up to follow him.

"There's still some time," he told her before she reached to take his plate, pulling his out of her grip. "I can clean the kitchen."

"It's fine," she insisted. "Let me take care of it. You need to get ready for school."

"I'm not having you cook _and_ clean for me," his brows furrowed.

"Why not?" she pouted. "A wife is supposed to provide both those things for their husband! Now you go off to work while this lovely maiden awaits your return to pounce on you!"

"From _where_ did you hear that from?" his brows shot up.

"Your Superman comics."

"You mean from the 40s?! Lilian, here in 1999 people get stoned for saying things like that. Women's superiority over men is the new craze these days. Now, I am going to clean this kitchen and that is the end of that."

"Fine," she puffed her cheeks but circled around him to reach the drying rack. "But I'm drying things and putting them away."

"Why don't you go shower or something?" he said while already scrubbing. When she didn't move, he gave her a light shove from his hip.

She shoved back just as strongly, "I am here as your mate. You can't get rid of me. I'm meeting you halfway with your human customs and playing the part as a good wife."

"1940's wives didn't get to have opinions," he argued. "I wanted a partner with an opinion, not a slave."

"Yes, well, this sex slave's _opinion_ is to stand by her mate's side and make him happy. Now hurry up and hand me that plate before you're late to school."

Though his brows were furrowed, he showed no signs of aggression or agitation. He had none of the hostile intent he had for the gardener before. If anything, it was a feigned annoyance.

She saw his lips curl into a sliver of a smile. She pretended to have not noticed.

He said nothing else as he rinsed the suds off the plate and handed it over for her to dry.

Moments later, the cookware and settings were washed and tucked away. He had a few minutes to spare before he would need to leave. He took the time to fix his uniform, making sure every inch of his attire was straight and without wrinkles. A few bills were placed on the table like he promised. He picked up his backpack from the corner and checked the contents to see if he had everything.

"Beloved?" she said as he headed for the hallway. She approached him, bowing her head while her hands played with each other at her front. She looked at him through her bangs (a difficulty considering the difference in height). "Do you think… tonight… we can sleep together? We haven't done that since the weekend."

He looked away in thought. He mumbled, "I didn't plan on sleeping. I've got an English project that needs at least twenty hours' worth of work due this Friday. Teacher's being a total dick about it. You'd think he'd give me some time considering I transferred in this late in the year. But no."

He was silent for a moment before looking up at her, "I can't make you that promise. But…"

His face soured. He had difficulty looking up at her. And she could have sworn his cheeks were red.

He took hurried steps towards her. She didn't get a chance to react as he grabbed ahold of her arms, raised himself, and pecked at her cheek.

She was stunned.

He turned his back to her and said, "Thanks for breakfast."

And then he headed out of the door faster than when he approached her.

Her hand rested on her cheek. A warm feeling swelled throughout her being.

Her mate was a complete _tsundere_. He was the most adorable person on the planet!

She was determined now more than ever to carry out today's plans of mischief with him.

It was a good thing she didn't pack him a lunch.

0-0-0

"Why does it look like you ran away from something?" Coralynne asked. She was waiting for Chase by his locker. "I hope whatever you're pissing off doesn't go and attack the school."

"Fuck off," he said as he placed his hands on her side and nudged her off of his locker. She played along. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I've been very well behaved these past few days. I've been going straight home, haven't killed anyone, and I've been doing my homework. I'm becoming like John; it's disgusting and boring."

The hallways were always crowded this early in the morning. Students would come to organize their things with their lockers and often gossip. It created a cluster of people talking about various things, creating enough noise for the two of them to talk about anything freely and not be heard by anyone else.

Of course, even if they could be heard, Chase wasn't the sort of person to care. He openly talked about the supernatural wherever he went. Fortunately, people assumed he was talking about books, or movies, or some nerdy game. It was marvelous how far the mundane was willing to go to not believe in the supernatural.

"Then why is it I can iron my skirt on that scowl of yours?" she teased lightly.

"I _didn't_ run," he insisted, giving her a level glare that would have made anyone else back off. She knew him long enough to know he was harmless. He faltered, opened his locker, and took his time gathering his things. "Nothing is coming to attack the school if that's what you're worried about. And even if something does, you and I are more than enough to deal with them before they even enter the school grounds."

That was true. The wards she placed around the neighborhood would detect malicious intent. A magical compulsion would turn them away. And if they were strong enough to fight against it, Coralynne would immediately be alerted and she would send Cornelius to deal with it. And if— this being a pretty heavy if— it was too much for him to deal with it, there were other precautions placed to protect the school and its attendants.

However, Chase was never considered when she created this security system.

"Are you here for something important?" he asked as he glanced at her through the corner of his vision. "Or are you just here to make my day that much more miserable? That brownie of a hall monitor already flagged me for my all-black uniform. Again. And I can feel Chris Fucker's murderous intent from literally across the quad. I already know I'm going to be spending the entire day with that. _Again_."

"Making you miserable will always be important," she teased again and then waved her hand when he glowered at her. "I'm holding a meeting in the art room today. I thought you'd like to attend."

"I seem to recall a certain Archmage asking me to be excused from all Knights of Luna related events," he said sourly, stuffing one book into his backpack with a little more force than what was necessary.

"Don't be like that," she said sternly. "I want you away from any of the field operations. That doesn't mean I don't value your advice. Besides, it's not anything pressing. It's just a standard meeting with all the regulars. We're mostly going over this week's schedule."

"On a Wednesday? Shouldn't you start on a Sunday?"

"I hold meetings with Team Beta on Sundays," she answered simply. "Team Alpha can only find free time on Wednesdays… at lunch."

"Oh yeah, because _heaven forbid_ these kids can't possibly tear themselves away from their teenage priorities to discuss the safety of the city. Jan has her cheerleading, Sarah has her choir, John has his gaming club, and… you know what? I don't know what Ginger does during lunch. What was the point in crowning you if you can't even summon your damn Knights whenever you want to?"

"Can you be there?" she asked with the practiced patience she gained from dealing with him for a few years.

"I have half a mind to tell you to fuck off," he spat sourly.

She waited for him.

"…I was gonna go anyways," he said as he slammed his locker shut. "If that's where everyone's hanging out at lunch then fine. Is there anything I should be aware of?"

"Nothing in particular," she shrugged. "Things have been pretty peaceful. Well… there was this incident that lasted two weeks about dolls from another World. Miss Shotalini was at the center of it, hence why she is no longer a figurehead in the city. It was settled by a third party. I'll tell you all about it later."

"You don't say," he said dully. "Whatever. She was annoying anyways. I gotta print something out from the library before classes start. I'll see you at lunch."

"I'll see you then," she said as she turned away and headed down the other direction.

0-0-0

"In conclusion," John looked up from his written report full of stats and recordings, "Nightmare activity throughout the city has been kept at a bare minimum. Petty crimes still happen but this is unavoidable. The current rise in conflict between rival supernatural factions has left them unaffected. There are no irregularities or change in their activity since last winter. The mundane populous remains to be following their natural behavior according to—"

He stopped when a loud thud broke his concentration.

Coralynne glanced over to see Chase's head planted onto the surface of one of the tables.

"Something you wish to add, captain?" she inquired.

"Fuck off with that captain shit," he mumbled before raising his head. There was a bright red spot on his forehead. "I wish to add that John just repeated _everything_ Jan, Ginger, and Sarah said in their individual reports. Lunch is only thirty minutes. Can we not waste time repeating the same thing for the fourth time and move on to the next agenda?"

It was lunchtime and the current Team Alpha of her Knights of Luna had gathered for their weekly meeting. Reports were exchanged with Sarah and Ginger giving their own, followed by Janice, and then summarized by John. This was the norm.

The fact they were repeating each other and struggling to find something to report on made Coralynne happy. It meant nothing dangerous was happening within her city. They were in a moment of peace.

But, of course, leave it up to a warmonger like Chase to find this time of peace as boring.

"I believe that concludes our meeting," she said.

"No!" Chase roared out in frustration. "That's not how it works! There's always something that's going on! John, what was that about monsters fighting each other?"

John breathed out a long and weary sigh. He had next to no patience for Chase. "I said they were supernatural factions fighting against each other. They have nothing to do with us."

"Bullshit they don't," Chase rose out of his seat. "The fact that they're fighting in general means we're not in a state of peace. Isn't it your duty to protect the city from both internal and external threats? Who are they anyways?"

"I think," Coralynne raised her voice before John added fuel to the fire. She paused to make sure she had everyone's attention. "I think what John is trying to say is it doesn't concern our department. We are what has replaced the Magistrate and the Observatory. Our department only deals with anything Acolyte and magic related."

His brows fell into a flat line. He lowered himself onto his seat and spoke in a tense voice, "That is not what the Knights of Luna were formed for."

"Things aren't as simple anymore," she spoke calmly to contrast his tone. "Claudia and I agreed we will manage the county with our own fields of expertise. Considering all that's left of Team Alpha are two Acolytes and two Tuners, all we have to report on are the activities of Nightmares. And since I am the Lord Archmage of Los Angeles plus the Dean of the College of Ilyvander, all magical related incidents go through me.

"While Claudia and I are the recognized rulers of the city, there are still other factions out there who do not fully respect our authority. They wish to be governed by one of their own and we have complied with their demands so long as they pay tribute and do not disturb the peace of the city. The truth of the matter is… we simply don't have the resources to manage them as we would our own."

He looked around the room. He spent a few seconds staring at John, then Janice, then Sarah, and then Ginger before falling back to Coralynne. There was a time when the room had more occupants.

"…Have you ever considered recruiting new members?" he shrugged with his hands. "Three teenage girls and _John_ isn't exactly intimidating. Or efficient. Let's forget these other factions for a moment. How do you manage to control the entire Nightmare population throughout the _county_ of Los Angeles?"

"I've been working my butt off since you've been gone," Janice spoke up. "I've been training every single day. I've grown! I can handle a flock of Nightmares on my own!"

"But do you know what to do in the event of a Primeval Nightmare attack?" he questioned with a flat voice.

Janice faltered slightly, "I… no. I would just call John."

"There won't be any Primeval Nightmares challenging me," John said, glaring back at Chase. "The lesser Nightmares already know better than to grow greedy with their feeding. Everything is under control."

"Those are some pretty bold words, John," Chase looked at him next. "Care to share with the class on why?"

"It's already been shared with the Knights. You weren't there when it happened. I don't see a reason why I should tell you anything."

"I could give you some bullshit about coordinating our tactics for any potential threats," he said while turning his head towards Coralynne. "But _somebody_ won't let me partake. You know what? Fine. If you say you have this field handled, I might even believe you. The room recognizes Sarah. You have a question?"

"Don't take my job from me," Coralynne quipped at him quietly. He brushed his hand in the air in her direction without bothering to look at her.

The typically demure girl lowered the hand she had raised since the start of John and Chase's spat. "It's not a question but more of a point I want to make. While I know you and Caroline deal with some extra stuff, like Observer Shisharo and Accuser Quake— _Juniper_ Quake. Not our Janice Quake. I'm so sorry, Janice. I know you'll never become an Accuser."

"I got what you were saying," Janice shrugged without taking offense.

"Um…" Sarah brushed some hair over her ear as she tried to recollect her thoughts. "The city as a whole has been rather peaceful. The crime rate is at a record low, the homeless have been relocated to shelters, which reminds me that housing is affordable, and the economy is growing with plenty of jobs. There hasn't been a need for the Knights of Luna these days. I can go down to the 7-Eleven by our dorms and not feel like I'm in danger. It's wonderful."

It was a marvelous thing, this time of peace. And it came from a lot of hard work. Team Bravo, the unofficial and behind-the-scenes group of the Knights of Luna, had to monitor all of the darker dealings within the mundane affairs. John, with the reason he refused to share with Chase, was able to become the alpha to all the Nightmares, thus minimalizing the negativity within the city. Coralynne was able to gather every rogue mage within the city, settle their petty disputes, and form a magical institution of learning.

Gangs and organized crime was still a thing, and it will be. But small upstarts that tried to become the kings of their neighborhoods were quickly dealt with. It was the larger ones Coralynne couldn't get rid of.

Claudia let those continue their work under a tight watch in the name of providing escalation for the proper authorities. She never let them get too full of themselves.

At first, it had been Chase who had been doing all of this. The Nightmares, the gangs, the monsters— all of it. He knew he couldn't do it alone but would never admit to it due to his sheer stubbornness. It was a part of the reason why the Knights of Luna were formed while he picked and chose every specific member on the team for their specialties and resources.

But after a while— as in during his absence for a year— they didn't need his intervention. The system he had started had become self-sustaining. And it worked.

She glanced at him. He had looked away from Sarah. He was completely defeated by her. Out of everyone in this room, Sarah was the only one who could pierce through the fortress that was Chase's thick skull. He couldn't argue against her and didn't like it.

"So, like, the meeting is over, right?" Ginger spoke up. Coralynne nodded. "Great! Now it's time some of our questions were answered. Chase! Where have you been all this time?!"

His brows furrowed further while he traced the ridge of his blackened eye. The swelling had gone down tremendously since Monday but the skin was still purple. "I'm pretty sure we already had this conversation."

"I'm not apologizing," she huffed while crossing her arms. "You deserve it. You vanished the middle of our sophomore year and show up all of a sudden? Like, seriously, where did you go? What happened?"

Coralynne kept quiet. This was Chase's show right now. She stepped away from the center of the room and went to lean against the teacher's desk. She crossed her legs at the ankles while leaning back with her hands flat on the surface.

Chase was quiet. If he had been answering to anyone else (or only John), he would be telling the whole truth with the expectation of them not believing him. However, the group of girls in front of him was a little special. Telling the truth in his usual fashion would only insult them. They would believe he was lying to him. He was already in enough trouble with them and didn't want to bury himself further.

Watching him squirm like this made her smile. Here was a man who had performed impossible feats and opposed equally impossible beings on his own. And yet he was weak against a trio of teenage girls.

"Something… forced me to leave for some time," he said slowly, not matching any of their eyes. He sighed, straightened himself, and finally met their gazes. "There was something I needed to take care of and it forced me away from home. That's all I'm going to say about it."

"No, no," Ginger put up a hand. "That's not good enough. What kind of vague BS is that? A year, Chase. A year! You couldn't call us during that time?!"

"Gingy…" Sarah made herself small on part to her friend's outcry. She slouched and softened her voice, "I'm sure he has his reasons. We're his Tuners. You know if he can't talk about it with us then there has to be a good reason why."

"…Are we still his Tuners?" Ginger asked with narrowed eyes and a heated voice.

"That's all I'm going to say about it," Chase repeated, word for word and tone for tone.

Both Sarah and Ginger winced at having to hear that. They were more sensitive to his habits than anyone else in the room. While the others like John and Janice had been made aware, they didn't understand as deeply as the Tuners.

"You can be mad at me all you want," he continued, drawing a little more animation in his expression. "I'm not going to apologize. If you want to hit me again, go for it. You can even stop being my Tuners if you are so upset with me."

"T-That's not…" Sarah looked down at his words.

"Stand up," Ginger demanded. She stood and circled around her table.

He meant every word before. He rose out of his seat without hesitation and crossed over to meet her. While Chase was in his adult form (who was pretending to be a sixteen-year-old), he had only grown two inches from his original fourteen-year-old self. Ginger had been growing like a tree since the start of their high school career. His head only reached up to her nose.

She glared down at him. He met her gaze, holding his hands behind his back and raising his head to give her a clean shot.

She drew her fist back, took in a deep breath… but then halfheartedly brought it down to his chest. It didn't even make him sway in balance.

"I almost thought you were gonna do it," he said simply.

"Yeah, well, I was really going to," Ginger breathed out. Her hand remained where it landed. "What you said is not cool. Are you, like, really okay with us not being your Tuners?"

"If we ever cut ties, I believe it will be by my own fault," he said with an almost detached voice.

"I'm seriously going to slug you, Chase."

His brows furrowed, this time in discomfort. It was the look of him not wanting to admit his feelings. "Fucking hell, Ging. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find two Tuners with enough synchrony with each other to mess around with a dual-wielder like me? It's not like I can put an ad in the paper."

"God, you are the most frustrating person on this planet!"

With her fist still on his chest, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward her. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"I can't believe I missed you, you stupid brown midget," she muttered with an irritated expression.

"I'd say something similar, but your chest feels like a washboard," he said dryly. "It's kinda ruining the mood."

Her face flushed with embarrassment and outrage. She stepped away from him and smacked him upside the head.

"Oh, you can talk about my height but I can't talk about your lack of tits?" he glowered at her while rubbing his head.

"Yes!" she said while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, glad to know double standards is still a thing in this era."

"Ugh, I can't believe I missed you," she turned away from him while heading back to the table. "Sarah, it's your turn. Go and make up with the midget."

"That's two, Ginger. You only get one more for the rest of the year."

"Or what?" she gave him a smug smile over her shoulder. "You'll hit me? I doubt you can reach me from all the way down there."

Chase's response was to raise three fingers.

As Ginger leaned against the table's edge to get a front view of the spectacle, Sarah hesitated when she approached him. Her hands played at her front while her head was bowed. She looked unsure of herself; something was bothering her and was growing more prominent with each step.

She came close enough for their toes to touch. She didn't close the gap, merely standing there while she fussed around with something on her mind. Chase opened his mouth to say something, paused, and then closed his mouth. He waited for Sarah's judgment with an almost anxious anticipation.

John's chair creaked as he leaned back and crossed his arms. Janice leaned forward with her elbows propped and cheeks in her hands. The former watched Chase like a guard dog while the latter watched them both with a hunger for drama.

Finally, Sarah looked straight at him. Her brows were slightly creased— the closest thing to anger the girl was willing to have. "I'm still mad at you."

In contrast to Ginger, Sarah didn't pull him in for a hug. She was the one who closed the gap and wrapped her arms around him.

…Or at least tried to.

While Ginger had sprouted upwards, Sarah remained the same height for as long as Coralynne knew her. She was even shorter than Chase. But instead of height, Sarah grew in… depth.

Sarah had a more womanly figure than anyone else in the room.

So when she tried to press herself against his chest, her tits had gotten in the way and had her bouncing back while he took a step back in surprise. Her face turned crimson while his brows rose beneath his bangs.

"…They've grown even bigger," he commented.

"…I can't help it," Sarah's voice was as quiet as a mouse's.

The surprise washed off of Chase as quickly as it came. His scowl returned to a blunt expression as he approached Sarah. He placed his hands on her shoulders to keep her still, circled around her, and gave her a hug from behind.

Sarah's lips curled upwards in a heartfelt smile. She gripped Chase's wrists while leaning her head back onto him.

"Still mad at me?" he asked as he broke away.

"…Maybe not as much," she replied a little softer.

"Yeah, well, you're still not off the hook," Ginger spoke up. The two of them were close enough for the girl to kick him lightly at his hindquarters. Her brows shot up as she looked at where she kicked. She tapped his rear with the tip of her foot. "Damn son. Sarah, quick! Reach around and grab his ass!"

Sarah avoided making eye contact with the two of them.

John cleared his throat while giving Ginger a pointed look.

Naturally, she ignored him and continued, "Seriously, like, for real now. You're almost a completely different person. Your face lost all its roundness, you are _stacked_ , and your voice got even deeper than it was before. Did you finally hit puberty or something?"

"Nah," Chase spread his arms and twisted himself around at the waist to get a good look at his figure. "Had to wrestle against a Primeval to get this body."

John gave a single dry snort. When the girls gave him a look, he ignored them.

"Well…" Ginger drew out the word as she undressed him with her eyes. "It looks like Sarah and I are going to have our hands full."

"If we're going to continue our work," Chase had the light tone of addressing a close friend but held an undertone of courtesy, "I would prefer if we keep it professional."

Ginger didn't particularly like that part. She made sure he was seeing her frown. Sarah, on the other hand, tried to not look disappointed even when his attention was away from her.

He continued without a pause, sticking his thumb over his shoulder and pointing, "Otherwise you two are going to have to compete against Jan. She already tried to get in my pants earlier this week."

"That is _not_ what happened and you know it!" Janice rose her voice to a near-shout while her cheeks flushed.

He turned to her and gave her a blunt look, "Which one us undid the buttons of their blouse, scooted close to our desk, and continued to flash her cleavage?"

"…What?" John looked at Janice like a father finding out about what his daughter did with her boyfriend behind closed doors.

"Janice Quake!" Ginger gasped in (feigned) betrayal and placed her hands onto her hips. "How dare you try to steal away Sarah's future husband!"

"Gingy!" Sarah rushed around Chase to push her fellow Tuner. Ginger lost her balance for a moment but quickly recovered. She gave the girl a sly smile and a wink. Sarah kept glaring at her while giving Chase sideways glances.

"I-I didn't know it was him!" Janice's face continued to redden as she jabbed a finger towards Chase. "Just look at him! I didn't recognize him when he walked into class! I thought he was just some new kid!"

"Who you immediately started to flirt with once I was assigned next to your seat," Chase finished off.

Janice had nothing left to say. She flung her empty Styrofoam cup at him. He let it bounce off his head before catching it. Though he didn't smile, it shone in his eyes. It infuriated Janice further.

"If I can ask," John spoke up as he gave Chase a stony look. "Is there any reason you should have Tuners? Carly tells me you're relieved of duty."

"Maintenance, for one," Ginger snapped at him, giving him a warning glare in the process. "Just because he doesn't have to fight doesn't mean he's no longer an Acolyte. Look, John, just because you're one of those weirdos who doesn't need a Tuner doesn't mean Chase doesn't either."

"Acolytes haven't _needed_ a Tuner for centuries," John exasperated. "You're department is still relatively new. I've lived my entire life without one. And if I don't need one, neither does he."

"There's still Chase's… condition," Sarah said her piece. "We're not sure if there are any new symptoms since the last time he's had a check-up. It could put his health at risk. We're more than supporters to your type, Observer Wakeman. We're health specialists first and foremost."

"You people make it sound like I'm sick and dying," Chase muttered.

Everyone in the room gave him a look. He put up his hands and rolled his eyes.

"John," Coralynne raised her voice. "Let them have their fun. Regardless of their intentions, they are correct. Chase's health is their priority and I don't want him to become a vegetable. You might not mind, but I do."

John wanted to protest further. But all he did was give a low growl and lean back in his seat.

"We'll see about fitting you in our schedule," Ginger gave Chase a victorious smile.

"Oh yeah because you're clearly busy with… how many other Acolytes are you _not_ working on?" he returned with a thick layer of sarcasm.

"Hey," she snapped at him. "Sarah and I deal with a very exclusive set of clientele."

"So exclusive no one else has ever requested you by name—"

" _Very_ exclusive," she glared at him. "The only reason why we're putting you on the list is because we know you very well. See? Being _nice to us_ comes with its perks. Now, are you free this… Did we have that lesson with the director on Saturday or Sunday?"

"Sunday," Sarah answered her.

"Then we can squeeze you in for Saturday," Ginger went back to Chase.

"I like how you start to ask if I'm free and then assume I am," he mentioned. "Assuming nothing comes up, I should be free that day."

"Why would anything happen?" John asked with narrowed eyes. He began to talk while shifting his vision towards Coralynne, "I thought you were supposed to sit back."

Coralynne didn't respond to John. She looked over to Chase, expecting him to answer. She knew the barebones of what he had been up to but would like to hear what he had to say.

"Yeah, well, the city still keeps me up at night," Chase gave John an accusing glare. "You know, solving problems the Knights are supposed to. Like dealing with vampires prowling on unsuspecting—"

He stopped himself as his head snapped to the side as though something had suddenly caught his attention. His body tensed as his brows furrowed. His eyes traced along the wall, following something only he could see. His eyes narrowed further.

The rest of the room grew tense. John and Janice began to tap into their Aura out of instinct. Sarah and Ginger held each other's hands as they moved away from the doors. And Coralynne stood up straight. Behind her, invisible to everyone else, Cornelius stirred. He was ready to respond but did not assume any killing intent.

It was due to his lack of hostility did Coralynne not draw upon her magic. Her wards hadn't gone off either. Still…

"Please tell me we're not under attack," she said to Chase.

"We're not," he responded immediately. He breathed out a huff of irritation as he went towards the door. "It's just… Fucking hell this girl."

She watched with curiosity as he opened the door. The person on the other side squeaked, taken aback as they were ready to knock.

This person made Coralynne's brow arch further.

0-0-0

Brother Andrew's High School was different from the schools portrayed in the manga Lillian read. She expected to see a towering monument of a building with each floor dedicated to each year of students. Instead, it was a large campus ground that was fenced off with nine feet tall iron bars. There was a building at the front used as a reception center while there were two gates beside it to allow students directly onto the campus.

When Lillian approached, the gates were shut and she tried to get through to the front building. The lady behind the desk wouldn't allow her through.

She was astounded when a glamour didn't work. No matter how much youki she put into her technique, the woman didn't budge. Security was eventually called.

Fortunately, the security guard was a male. Lillian let him escort her out of the building before turning her charm on him. All she needed to do was lean forward a little while pressing her arms together at her front. Doing so pressed her boobs together. After that, and listening to some sappy story she had, the man decided to turn a blind eye, open up one of the gates, and let her through.

Best part was, she didn't need to hypnotize him.

As soon as she stepped onto campus, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She wasn't the only Youkai within the territory. And there were… other things. Things she couldn't describe or match by example.

It felt like one or two of those things were looking at her from places she couldn't see. She was being scanned. But they dismissed her and the sense of being watch left her.

She moved, wanting to find her mate now more than ever. After all, no place was safer than being at his side.

The problem was trying to find him.

Once she was inside, there were five other buildings to explore. All of which were single-story constructs but large enough to accommodate the number of students attending. And the overall campus was large and spread out. The buildings were placed in each corner of the area with sections such as a garden, courtyard, outdoor cafeteria, and surely other things out of Lillian's current view.

The students weren't in their classrooms when she arrived. They were walking around campus, sitting at benches and tables, or standing in the open. She noticed they all wore uniforms similar to her mate.

The boys wore either a royal or gold polos with tan khakis while the girls wore blouses of matching colors and plaid skirts. All of them had the crest of the school patched onto their left breast.

She wondered why her mate wore a pitch black uniform. Even the crest was black. Given his personality, maybe he fell under the trope of the school deviant with the heart of gold?

"Excuse me, can you help me out?" Lillian asked one group of students. "I'm looking for someone who goes here. His name is Chase. He's about this tall, dark skin, and has a mean ol' scowl like this."

She had to use her fingertips to push her brows. She naturally couldn't scowl as deep as her mate could.

"Ugh, him?" one boy in the group groaned.

"Should you be here?" another boy commented while eying her body.

One of the girls noticed his staring. She smacked his chest with the back of her hand while answering, "Yeah, we know who you're talking about. That's Chase alright. You shouldn't associate yourself with someone like him."

"What do you mean?" Lillian asked, her brows furrowing. She already didn't like this girl for talking so rudely about her mate. Her attitude was nothing but condescending, as if she was on a higher status than her and her mate. As if she were doing a civil service by talking to Lillian.

"The guy is nothing but trouble," one of the boys answered back. "He's always getting into fights with everyone. He doesn't show up to school most of the time anyways. I don't know why they let him back in."

"Do any of you know him?" she questioned with a challenging tone.

"Who would want to?" the girl sassed back. "He's a jerk who argues with the teachers, swears like a sailor, and, like, has this totally childish attitude. He reminds me of a Chihuahua that barks at anything all the time. Nobody likes him. Caroline is the only one who tries to be nice to him but that's like her job."

The longer she was talking to these people, the more Chase was starting to fill into that trope mentioned earlier.

"Do you know where I can find him or not?" Lillian repeated the question. She was losing her patience. If they said one more bad thing about someone they knew nothing about, she was going to claw out their eyes.

"Try the art room," the other boy pointed at one of the buildings across campus. "It's room 510. I heard he'd be with Caroline and her friends."

"Thank you," she said curtly and hurried off. She ignored the words they were saying behind her back.

Something more pressing urged Lillian on. Caroline. She didn't recognize that name from any of the girls her beloved had mentioned. She didn't want some teenage bimbo stealing away her man.

The building she headed into was smaller than the rest and placed in the back of the campus grounds. It was a T-shape structure with two entrances (Lillian chose the left) and took note of the numbers on the doors. They were all within the 500s. There weren't any students within the hallways.

She stood before 510. She stopped only to ready herself. She absolved herself of all negativity from those rude children and thought of only her mate. The idea of him brought her back into a bright mood. He was going to love this surprise!

But as soon as she reached for the doorknob, it opened.

Her mate stood on the other side, looking up at her with an almost expectant look as if he had already known she was going to be here. His brows were creased. If she didn't know any better, she would have said he wasn't happy to see her. But he always looked like this.

"Lillian," his voice was as flat as his stare. He stepped out of the room and shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

His tone made her pause. This wasn't exactly how she imagined things to go. While she didn't believe he would be smiling and sweeping her into his arms (he was just too _tsun-tsun_ ), she thought he would be happy in his own unique way.

"Beloved," she perked up anyways, bouncing on her heels and therefore making her boobs bounce as well to catch his eye. "You forgot your lunch this morning. So since you said I can go out, I decided to come here and bring it to you."

"How did you get in here?" he asked next, eyeing her attire with a critical glance. Today she was wearing a shoulderless top with a deep cut to flash her cleavage and bootie shorts. "There's no way they would have let you in here like that."

"There _was_ this really rude lady at the front office," she muttered, pouting while crossing her arms. "She wouldn't let me in no matter what. Is she a Youkai… or a vampire? My enchantments wouldn't work on her."

His brows furrowed further with disproval. "She's human. She's just so set in her ways no amount of hypnotism will get her to change her mind. While I'm not so innocent in doing this, you shouldn't try to hypnotize every person you come across just to get your way."

"I know it's wrong, but I really wanted to see— I-I mean I had to bring you your lunch!"

"I don't care if it's wrong," he spread his hands while shrugging. "It's just that if you hypnotize people in an abundance, it creates more inconsistencies with their memories. People catch onto that quickly. Before you know it, they'll realize you're somehow related to these incidents and keep a closer eye on you. They wind up waiting for you to hypnotize them to catch you in the act."

She nodded a few times, "That makes sense. You're right; it'll be bad if anyone finds out I'm a kitsune. I'll try to be careful about that. You're so smart about these kinds of things, beloved!"

"…It's more like I'm experienced in this field," he looked away from her.

Her smile grew. There it was! His _tsun-tsun_ was showing!

"Moving on," he said sharply. He crossed his arms and locked eyes with her. "I get I said you can go anywhere. I didn't expect you to show up at school. You can't be here during curriculum hours. Thank you for bringing me lunch but make sure you leave before—"

The door behind him opened. He frowned but didn't turn around.

A tall beauty stood at the doorway. She had long black hair, bright sapphire eyes, and fair skin. She was dressed in the standard girl's uniform with black tights to hide her long legs and a white hairband to keep the sides of her hair out of her face. While she wasn't as developed as, say, Lillian, this girl held herself up with a level of charm and elegance Lillian didn't have. She was lovely to look at with both appearance and presence.

Lillian immediately didn't like this girl. She was a threat.

"Chase," her voice was soft but powerful in its tone. She didn't demand attention. She requested it and knew it would always be respected. "Why don't you introduce us to your friend?"

"Because she's about to leave," he said quickly.

The girl appraised Lillian for a moment. "She went through the trouble of coming here. You can at least let her stay until the end of lunch break. Besides… we're all dying to know what you've been up to lately."

"You know damn well what I've been up to," he shot her a warning look.

"I would like to stay," Lillian said with intensity. She never looked away from this girl as she approached her mate and put her hands on his arm. This man was _hers_ and she wasn't going to let anybody take him away from her. Not even Little Miss Perky Breasts.

The girl watched the closeness with a detached and clinical observation. It was as if she was forced to watch moss grow. She matched Chase's gaze briefly before talking to Lillian. "Come in and introduce yourself. Make yourself at home."

She stepped back and held the door open for her to enter. Chase looked irritated and helpless. He kept glaring at the girl but she remained unfazed. She waved a hand into the room, gesturing for them to come inside. There was a subtle, imperialistic demand in her eyes.

"This is a terrible idea and you know it," Chase grumbled while brushing by her through the door. Lillian followed half a step behind him. The girl closed the door behind them.

The room was spacious. When she had expected to see rows upon rows of square desks, she was once again surprised to see four large rectangular tables spread across the room. They were able to hold four people each. Against the wall was a shelf with… shoeboxes and people's names. To the back was what she assumed to be the teacher's desk and beside that was a whiteboard that took up most of the wall.

There were four others, each one looking at Lillian with a curious stare. Curiosity remained but their expression shifted in unique ways.

The least impressive was a boy her mate's age. The only noteworthy feature of him was his hairline that made his brow seem larger, the genetic blend of both European and Japanese, and a body bulky with muscle. His uniform was pressed against his square chest and buttoned up to the collar. He observed Lillian before narrowing his eyes at her mate.

And then, there were the threats. There were three girls.

The least troublesome was a girl at Lillian's height with wavy red hair, peach skin riddled with freckles at every corner, and lime green eyes. She was pretty, all things considered, but she was just so flat there was no appeal to her at all. She looked at Lillian as if she were someone daring to invade her territory… and afraid she was going to lose the inevitable fight.

In second place was a girl just as short as her mate. She was the prettiest one in the group (second to the one who greeted them first) with an aristocratic face, perfectly trimmed and groomed light brown hair, and dazzling gray eyes. Her figure was above average— belonging more to an athlete with lean muscle with somewhat decent tits. She looked at Lillian with a scandalized expression, glancing between Chase and Lillian in an attempt to figure out what was going on.

And then there was the biggest threat to Lillian's position, even bigger than the first girl. The final person was a blonde-haired, blue eyed girl with an angelic face and presence. She wasn't the prettiest, but there was a loveliness to her that had to be admired. She looked so innocent a part of Lillian felt guilty about thinking so badly about her.

…Until she saw the size of her boobs. Their fullness was just as, if not greater than, Lillian's.

"Right, well, since I can't run away from this any longer," Chase spoke up with a dry tone once he reached the center of the room. "Everyone, this is Lillian. Lillian, that's Janice, Ginger, and Sarah."

He gestured towards the countess, the twig, and the new game plus secret boss in that order.

Lillian didn't greet them and no greetings were returned to her. Ginger continued to glare, Sarah was looking around with concern, and Janice chose to remain silent for her own reasons.

"Chase," the first unnamed girl spoke firmly.

"Right, Lillian this is…" he paused, tapping a finger on his chin. "Which name are we using for you this time?"

Instead of answering, she pointed a finger at the lone boy in the corner table.

"Oh, what, _that_?" Chase's brows fell into a flat line as he stuck his thumb out. "That's just John. He doesn't need an introduction."

John didn't stir from his seat. He face remained still, indicating he had grown to expect this sort of behavior from her mate.

"Lillian," the girl disregarded Chase as she announced herself. "I am Coralynne Stradt. It's nice to meet you. I've heard a few things from Chase about you and was hoping you could clarify a few things."

Lillian's eyes widened as she pointed a finger at her, " _You're_ the sorcerer supreme? I understand why Claudia looks so young because she's a vampire. But I thought you'd be an old crone."

Coralynne didn't take offense. If anything, she smiled with amusement, "It's Lord Archmage, actually. I'm glad Chase managed to find someone who shares his interest with Doctor Strange. And, as a matter of fact, I'm older than I look. Perhaps… not as old as you, though."

Lillian tensed. The underline in her tone suggested she knew nothing about Lillian aside from her name after this first impression. And with a quick glance (or some sort of magic spell Lillian couldn't see) she had been able to determine Lillian wasn't exactly human.

"For security purposes I must ask," Coralynne continued without a hitch. "What exactly are you doing here?"

"Oh," Lillian remembered the original purpose of her quest. "My mate forgot his lunch so I came to bring it to him."

Everyone eyed her. They were either skeptical of her intentions or (Ginger) thought she was some dimwitted bimbo who forgot to bring the bento. It looked like the only thing she brought with her was her clothes.

She reached a hand between her breasts and pulled out the three-layered bento box from deep within.

"Here you go, beloved," she sang sweetly while extending it out to him.

He stared at her chest as though it were a puzzle he needed to decipher. When its secrets couldn't be revealed to him, he took the box. "Thank you Lillian. Where did you buy this box from?"

"I didn't," she smiled. "I found it in your pantry."

"Why the hell does Barbara have a bento?" he glowered at it as if it offended him.

"Am I the only one wondering how she pulled something the size of my head out of her… chest?" John asked allowed. "I've never heard of a spell like that. That's something straight out of an anime."

"That's just her Dimensional Storage Space," Janice answered in a simple tone. "Every girl has one."

Chase was looking at her incredulously.

"What?" Janice was taken aback by his staring. "Wait. I actually know something you don't? Wow. So this is what it feels like…"

"Hold up," Ginger raised her voice. "What did you just call Chase?"

"Should have established a safety word," Chase muttered beneath his breath. "It's the first fucking thing you do."

"Amateur," Coralynne whispered softly. Chase's brow twitched.

Lillian looked directly at Ginger and gave her best smile. A smile full of fangs to challenge her. She purposely leaned towards Chase as she answered in a voice as clear as crystal, "My mate."

At first, Ginger blinked at her choice of words. She was human so she didn't fully understand what it meant to have a mate. But after concluding Lillian wasn't human, and thus being able to think differently about the answer, her eyes began to narrow.

Lillian will give her this much. For what she lacked in sexual appeal, Ginger made up for it with wits.

"What the hell?" she blurted out. "Chase, what the hell is she talking about? What is she?"

"Don't ask me, ask Stradt," he answered while giving Coralynne a dirty look. "This is her show after all."

"You're the one who dug his own grave," Coralynne said back with a completely calm tone. "Lillian, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself? Why not start with how you know Chase?"

"How about that whole mate thing?" Ginger interjected.

"Well~" Lillian made sure to not lose eye contact with Ginger for this one. "When I first came into the city, I was attacked by… a real creep. Beloved saved my life and nursed me back to health. We're currently living together and I've decided he's going to be my mate. We sleep together and he's already seen me in the nude."

Ginger was dazed. She blinked a few times, rebooting her brain, and shot a deathly glare at Chase. "Is this true?"

"Every word," Chase said without hesitation.

Ginger's face reddened with horror… and rage. It made Lillian's smile widen with the sweetness of victory.

"You're not helping your case with them," Coralynne commented.

"Fuck you, I told you it was a terrible idea," he snapped at her. "Ginger's pissed, Sarah's on the verge of crying, fuck if I care what John and Jan think of me, and Lillian is being a complete cunt about it. Do you honestly think whatever I say is going to get through to any of them?"

It felt like a bucket of icy cold water straight from the Antarctic had been dumped on Lillian's head. A sharp stabbing sensation pierced through her by both his words and his horrendously angered tone. He wasn't happy with her. Not in the slightest.

But so long as she was able to claim her territory and clear herself of any obstacles and challengers, Lillian could work with this. She was going to have to win his heart anyways.

"Beloved, I…" still, the words hurt. She tried to appease to him.

"I don't want to hear it," he shot her a look that struck her. She had only seen that look in his eyes… right before he shot that vampire in Santa Monica. "These people are my friends. If you can't behave around them, I don't want to hear anything from you."

Lillian was left frozen and speechless. She felt confused, frightened, and angry for the intensity of his glare. Confused because she didn't know why he was so upset. Frightened because she felt if she opened her mouth he would lash out at her. And angry because… he was choosing their side over _her_.

Ginger reeled herself back. She sighed and eased up, but didn't forgo her anger entirely. "You don't need to go that far. Like… I didn't help either

"There's more to the story… right?" Sarah asked in a small and hopeful voice. She was searching through Chase's eyes for an answer.

"There always is," he said.

Lillian frowned. All of the anger he had for her suddenly vanished when he addressed Sarah. And… there was something more beneath his voice. He didn't speak this softly during their best moments.

Sarah was more than just a physical threat. She had already latched her claws into his heart.

As if sensing her murderous intent, Chase gave Lillian a warning glance. She looked away, not wanting to upset him further and keeping herself quiet.

"I'm currently allowing Lillian to stay with me until I figure out what to do with her," he addressed everyone in the room, staring at Coralynne the longest. "She was attacked by a vampire near the garment district Wednesday night last week, approximately 21:30. I killed him. His coven came for revenge and they fled after I killed their next alpha. They're currently scattered across the city without a master. Until I know for sure they won't become a threat to her, she'll be with me.

"In regards to the whole… mating business, that's personal and between she and I. I don't need to report it to the Knights of Luna."

Coralynne shifted around in her stance, "Chase, you could have asked us for help."

"Yeah, I'm sure I could," he scoffed at her. "Claudia's already running an investigation on her own end. And you can relax. She already barred me from the information until it's complete. Just like with you, I'm not allowed to go out and deal with those ghouls."

Coralynne hummed in both confirmation and in thought.

"Are we done here?" he continued to glare at Coralynne.

"For now," she said while looking over at Sarah and Ginger before going back to Chase. "I've learned enough about the Lillian Pnéṿma Claudia's Grave Keeper seems to be protecting. I wanted to make sure she wasn't going to bring you any trouble. Are you, Lillian?"

"I am _not_ a magnet for—" Chase began but was cut off when Coralynne put up her hand.

She was giving Lillian a knowing look. As if she already figured out everything she needed to about Lillian. It might have been magic or her position as a leader of the city or woman's intuition, but Lillian had the distinct feeling Coralynne knew _everything_ about her. Including her reason for running away from home.

"I won't be a bother to my mate," Lillian responded.

Coralynne studied her for a moment. "I'll take your word for it, then. Enjoy your stay in the city and don't be afraid to reach out to me if you need anything. Chase should have my number. Chase, you should show Lillian off before lunch ends. You'll need some time to eat the lunch she brought you."

"Right…" Chase muttered as he gazed at the door. "Come on, Lillian. It's time for you to leave."

He didn't wait for her response. He headed straight for the door and stepped outside.

Lillian looked around the room. Ginger kept glaring at her albeit with a softer intensity. Sarah tried to be friendly, offering her a smile and a wave goodbye. John gave a nod and a wish for good luck, which irritated Lillian. Janice's was probably the most honest— her departing words were neutral.

"You shouldn't keep him waiting," Coralynne said to her. "I'm sure you know how impatient he can be. Especially when I've upset him."

Lillian took her advice and left the room.

0-0-0

"Beloved…?" she asked after the silence between them was unbearable. They had been walking through campus until they were close to the front office. She didn't want to depart on this silence. "Are you mad at me?"

He carried the bento under his arm on her side, being used as a wedge so she couldn't latch onto him. His scowl was more prominent than ever. He stopped walking, took a deep breath, and looked down at the bento.

Students coming and going were staring and gossiping to each other. She stood out like a sore thumb with her attire. She was drawing attention and it was making her conscious of it. Her arms wrapped around her waist. She wore these clothes to impress her mate but now it was backfiring as she felt the hungry eyes of every male trying to strip her naked.

"I am angry," he began, completely unfazed by the staring. He was only background scenery compared to her, the main attraction. "I'm an angry person in general. I appreciate you coming here to bring me lunch… even if your intentions weren't completely selfless. A part of me is angry at myself— I never told you to stay away from here so that's my fault.

"But I am angry at you because of the way you treated Ginger. I don't like two-faced bitches, Lillian. You have no reason to treat her like she's disgusting while you put me on a pedestal. She did nothing to you."

Her heart clenched, "But beloved… you're my mate. She was… It's like…"

"Her liking me is no excuse for you to treat her like trash," his voice was cold and sharp. His brown eyes had a slight tint of blue in them. "Do you understand the meaning of trust, Lillian?"

She didn't understand the question, "I… yes. Of course."

"I don't think you do. Do you see pack of vultures around us? They clearly want you. Some of them are decent looking while almost all of them are better human beings than I am on my best days. And yet, because I understand how serious you are about us, or at least I _think_ I understand, I _trust_ you won't be running off to any of them while I'm not looking.

"I can't give you the attention you give me, but I gave you my word that I would try. If you think I can't be trusted to talk to my closest friends, then you shouldn't bother with someone like me.

"Do you people mind?! I'm trying to have a conversation here. Buzz off!"

At the sound of his voice and the murderous glare, the students around them scattered like a pack of vultures he described. Yet, some lingered. Those few only stood further back.

"Lillian…" he sighed and paused to think. "I understand if you have doubts about me. You have no reason to trust me after I told you I don't trust you. You know nothing about me or my habits. But, I think, that's what these two weeks are for. Go home, take a bath or play a game, I don't know, and just think about what happened today. We can talk about it tonight and work things out together."

"Then…" her voice was small, frightened but hopeful. She looked at him through her bangs, "I didn't blow my chances?"

"Will you continue to treat every girl I talk to like scum of the earth?" he countered.

She put a hand to her chest. She raised her head, "Only if you promise to not choose them over me."

He didn't say anything at first. Until, "I won't make you that promise. I've known Sarah and Ginger long before you came into the picture. The only advantage you have over them is your complete lack of affiliation with my job. I can't date them because it would compromise all of us. However, I can't rule out something might happen within the future. We're at a time of peace, apparently. There seems to be less need of me these days. It's possible the witch will ask me to step down completely.

"What I _can_ promise you is to continue to keep my word with you. I'll treat you with the respect you deserve and never dishonor you. I will never lie to you, I will never cheat on you, and I will always treat you as my equal. I will try to make this work but I will not bow my head to you.

"Come on," he breathed out and looked off towards the front of the campus. "I've got less than two minutes to devour this. I've gotta get you out of here before a teacher—"

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" a thunderous roar of a voice bellowed from across the courtyard.

"Or before _that_ ," Chase growled as his anger from before started to return. "I'm seriously not in the fucking mood for this shit."

Lillian turned her head to see a student plow his way through the sea of students unfortunate enough to be in his way. He towered over everyone and had the muscle that made Joseph Star look like a toddler. He looked absolutely livid, which warped his already ugly mug.

A trickle of youki was slipping out of him. Even without the approaching stench of a wet dog, she was able to recognize him for what he was.

He was an inu, a dog youkai.

…And an enemy to all kitsune.

"Beloved, we need to get out of here," she said and pulled on his sleeve. When he didn't budge, she grabbed onto his arm. And still he wouldn't budge. She would have picked him up at the waist and carry him like luggage if she could.

But the inu had reached them first. He lunged for Chase and grabbed her mate by the collar of his shirt, lifting him off the ground.

"I thought I warned you," the inu spat. "And then you bring a fox here. You're dead."

"Let go of him!" Lillian shouted. Her knees were shaking. She couldn't move. She was cursing herself for being this scared of a mutt. Her mate was in danger!

She could transform and… _try_ to fend him off. But in doing so would reveal her nature as a kitsune, the biggest taboo any youkai could perform in front of humans.

At the same time, the inu wasn't transforming. It might be their only saving grace.

"You shut up!" the inu snarled at her. "You'll get yours soon enough."

Chase, with his feet off the ground, stared at the inu without a trace of fear. Not even irritation. His scowl remained, as it always will, but all expression from him had washed away.

"Christopher," his voice was filled with finality. He had lost all his patience. "Put me down and I'll only break a few bones."

The students around them had pulled out their phones and started to record the incident. Some had told others to go look for a teacher or call security. Perhaps one of them followed through. But everyone else was too engrossed with the engagement to move.

The inu snorted dryly, "Don't try to think you're something. I won't break that whore witch's laws right now. But once you and that cum dumster leave the school grounds, you're fair game. Enjoy your last few hours."

Only then did he let Chase drop. Chase landed on his feet without a problem. And Lillian let out the biggest breath of air she had been holding in.

"Your knees, your face… and I'll let you pick which arm," Chase said in his dead voice.

He shoved the bento into Lillian's chest. It was by instinct she caught it.

Her eyes widened when he stepped forward.

"What're you talking about?" Chris glowered down at him. The difference in height would have been comedic if her mate wasn't about to do something suicidal.

"B-Beloved… don't," she pleaded. And yet, she couldn't get her feet to move close enough to reach him. Not if that thing could reach for her as well.

"You're going to go after Lillian?" Chase asked, tilting his head slightly.

"She's a fox," Chris answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Hmm…" Chase nodded and considered something. "Well then. Why wait? The witch and her rules can go fuck themselves. Isn't that right, Caroline?"

He tilted his head to the other side and glanced over to the side. At the mention of that name, Chris' body stiffened and snapped his neck towards wherever Chase was looking. The students in that area bobbled their heads around in search of the person named Caroline.

Said person didn't seem to be there.

And while Chris was looking away, Chase moved like a blur.

He brought his leg up and stomped his foot down on Chris' left knee. The impact sounded more like a hammer coming into contact with concrete. The limb snapped backwards and Chris let loose an unholy howl of pain and shock. He fell forward until his other knee hit the floor.

Now that they were at eye level, Chase threw his entire body forward and brought his fist around to deck the inu across the jaw. His arm was faster than the eye could see and the sound of contact resembled more of a firecracker going off rather than flesh against flesh. Chris spat out both blood. His head whiplashed around while his eyes lost focus for a brief instant.

Chase spun with the momentum of his punch and brought his heel around… directly onto Chris' windpipe. He fell onto his side as he wrapped a hand around his neck. He wheezed, unable to breathe and kept making short gasps.

His face became red as veins bulged from his head. Despite the injuries, his rage was giving him focus. He rose himself up with his good leg and lunged at Chase.

Her mate sidestepped him as if it were choreography. Chris fumbled forward and forgot about his destroyed knee. He fell onto his hands. Behind him, Chase only had to step forward and bring his foot down once more onto the same shattered limb. Chris let out a roar of pain.

He tried to swipe at Chase out of blind pain, rage, and desperation. Chase ducked his head back to dodge the swipe, caught the limb at the wrist once it had reached its flexibility peak, and kept pushing it back. Chris tried to twist his body along with Chase to ease the tension.

Chase put all his weight on Chris' broken leg as he raised his other leg. Chris' wailing was silenced when his heel was brought down onto the back of the inu's head. Chris' open mouth met with pavement. Chase shifted his footing, placed both hands on the still held arm, and snapped it in two by the elbow like a twig.

He never let go of the limb as he placed one knee on Chris' back and reached a wad of the inu's hair. He adjusted himself to a comfortable position… and then began to pump his head onto the concrete again, and again, and again.

And if ever Chris tried to throw him off, Chase would twist the broken limb, blinding Chris with more pain, and then slamming his head down. The cycle repeated itself a few times.

By this point, Lillian could sense Chris' youki spike tremendously. Enough to make her want to reveal herself to save her mate. Some of his inu features were even appearing, such as fangs and claws. But despite using the one trait that made him physically superior to any human, he could not fight against the very thing that crippled even the greatest of monsters.

Pain. Chase made sure to keep him in check with pain. He caught Chris by surprise and inflicted the most amount of pain as quickly as possible to completely debilitate the superior being.

Lillian would not deny she was horrified. What Chase was doing was horrendous, unclean, dishonorable, and ruthless in nature. Every strike he delivered onto Chris made her flinch. She felt queasy seeing how twisted and bent the inu's body became. Enemy or not, she would never wish this sort of pain and humiliation upon anyone.

But on the other side… she was aroused beyond measurement.

Chase was fighting against something most of her breed hated and feared. And winning in the most dominant fashion imaginable.

And he was doing it for her.

If she didn't want him then, she definitely wanted him now.

"CHASE ROLAN!"

Silence reigned supreme by the voice of Coralynne Stradt. The crowd of students parted as she marched forward. Her eyes were blazing.

The fingers of her left hand were twitching and curling.

"Ten seconds," Chase said as he slammed Chris' head one last time into the ground. The inu mumbled something incoherent as he lay limp. "I still gotta break his other knee so if you give me—"

"That is enough!" she bellowed and raised her hand. She snapped a finger.

Lillian felt… off.

When next she realized, she was no longer at the school. She was back at her mate's house. The two of them were sitting on the couch of his porch. And standing in front of them, with her arms crossed and leaning against the railing, was Coralynne Stradt. Her fire from before had simmered down but she continued to look at Chase with utmost disappointment.

She didn't know what happened or how she got here. She didn't know what happened to Chris. She couldn't even tell if what happened had been just a dream or a distant memory.

"What did you just say?" her mate said to Coralynne. "The fuck do you mean 'house arrest'?"

"You heard me," Coralynne said in a low and tired voice.

"Beloved?" Lillian blinked. It felt like she was waking up from a long nap. "What's going on? What happened? How did we get here?"

"Oh, you've finally come to," he looked at her within the corner of his eye. "A few things happened while Stradt here mesmerized you and everyone else in the entire goddamn neighborhood. So… what was the last thing you remember?"


	7. Chapter 7

**A note before we begin!**

Hey guys! I'm still alive, thank you for asking. I've been out of commission for the past couple months due to work. Well, I had a major project back in August and it didn't get done until early November. These past few weeks were just me recovering, getting sick, and trying to get back to routine.

I have a couple things written out and this would be the first I've finished. Let me tell you, I am rusty. It astounds me how bad things can get when you don't write for a few months. Like wow. So I decided to update this story since it's my most casual of works. You know, just so I can get back into the groove of things.

I apologize for the long wait. Thank you for understanding.

Now, regarding this story, I decided to accelerate my timetable. Rather, an arc I had planned in later chapters got moved up to the current one. Now this story is starting to be a real cross with _American Kitsune_ as opposed to being heavily _Synthesis_ dependent. The arc will probably be three chapters in total, depending on how much detail I decide to write out.

Expect frequent updates of this one and maybe something else around the corner. Like a certain other Predator story.

ON WITH THE SHOW!

* * *

Jiāoào looked to his left, then to his right, and then frowned. He clicked his tongue as he folded his arms beneath the large sleeves of his robes, "Humans. They think this is a place of decadence? But I suppose for such a lowly species this is the best their primitive imagination can take them."

With the assistance of Luna Mul, Jiāoào and his servants had been able to purchase a temporary home during their stay. It was a mansion in an exclusive neighborhood in Beverly Hills. According to Luna, no amount of money could have reserved this spot. It was exclusively reserved for the powerful and influential— the so-called rulers of Los Angeles.

The house they took up once belonged to the former queen of Los Angeles, a human girl named Michelle de la Shotalini. It was a name he was familiar with but could not recall where he had heard it from.

While the house itself was lackluster by his standards, he _did_ have to admit the human had a good eye for furnishings and décor. For a human, anyways.

"Ling," he turned his head towards the three-tailed maid, "these dull colors make my eyes ache."

"I shall redecorate to ease your pain, Lord Jiāoào," she answered immediately and without a fuss. No whimpering or complaining, unlike the other one.

"Good," he nodded with some satisfaction but not enough to alleviate his distaste. "Do not forget to carry out with your other task."

"I shall not," she bowed at the hip. He glanced at her. There was a pause from her that he picked up. Her lip twitched, "However… the humans are proving to be… difficult. Their laws and regulations are presenting me with obstacles that impede me. My task will be accomplished, Lord Jiāoào, I assure you. But it will take more time than expect—"

He stepped up to her and brought his hand around. A loud crack echoed throughout the silent house. Ling Mei did not flinch but averted her gaze and bowed her head.

"Useless," he snarled. He folded his hands together back under his sleeve— hiding the act of rubbing the palm from such a sharp strike. "Did I not say I wanted my Lillian right away? The longer I stay in this _human_ settlement the longer my head aches. I can feel their filth cling onto me the more I stand in the same air they breathe. Your inadequacy is driving my patience."

"Yes, Lord Jiāoào," Ling replied without any emotion. "It will be done at once."

"Lord Jiāoào," Maddison, the other servant he brought with, spoke up, almost quickly and eagerly. He hadn't broken her in and trained her as well as Ling. That he blamed himself for. "May I suggest something that will hasten Ling's task?"

He eyed her. She was ugly with her messy hair and tear-stricken face. He should have ordered her to clean herself up after he had entertained himself with her. But… Luna's people interrupted and told him his new residency was ready.

Maddison looked at him like a servant should. Her face was devoid of all expression and her eyes looking intently at him with the will to satisfy his every need. However, there was still a lick of something in those eyes. Not defiance, at least not anymore. But something else. Desperation? He mentally shrugged.

"I'll allow it," he said to her.

"Perhaps it may be a little more convincing if I were to be with Ling," she said readily. "If we alter the story and say we are sisters, or something of the sort? Lady Mul has already agreed to provide Ling with documentations. I believe the obstacle Ling mentions isn't necessarily a human problem. The territory we are trying to infiltrate is under the watch of Claudia des Angelica _and_ Coralynne Stradt. It raises suspicion if it is only Ling entering that area."

He failed to understand the point of having _two_ queens sharing the same territory. But share the city they did. They split the responsibilities in half and left each other to their own devices. However… the specific plot of land he was trying to sink his claws into was being overlooked by the both of them. He might be able to slip under one of them, but he doubted both.

"Shílì," Jiāoào craned his head to the side but never looked away from Maddison. "What do you think?"

His butler/bodyguard had always been at the back of the group, ready to serve but hidden in plain sight. He was as significant as the background. It was only when Jiāoào called upon him did he reveal himself. It was as if he hadn't been there in the first place.

"Her words hold merit," the black kitsune answered in a simple tone. Unlike the two girls, he smiled warmly and was full of an eagerness to fulfill his duties. "We were already planning on having Ling Mei masquerading as a refugee. Why not have the two of them compliment the other? In other terms, it might be better to have them watch another's back."

Jiāoào hummed to himself in thought, "If that's what you think… very well. Maddison, Ling, you will both carry out this task. I expect no more delays. And don't think for a moment just because you are out of my sight are you exempt from your duties. In fact…"

He looked at Maddison while raising one sleeved hand beneath his chin. His eyes flicked over to Ling next. He licked his lips.

"The both of you, to my chambers at once. These _obstacles_ leave me exhausted and I am in need of relief. Shílì, inform me if anything new about my Lillian comes up."

Maddison shuddered, though she tried hard to stop it. Ling may or may not have— he couldn't tell. It looked like Maddison was going to have to go first. Maybe tie her to the bed and leave her enchanted by a glamor while Ling pleased him?

"At once, Lord Jiāoào," the butler bowed. "Would you like me to investigate this Chase Rolan as well? He _did_ destroy our cruiser in a single strike."

Jiāoào had a heavy scowl, "The only thing I care about my Lillian's _human toy_ is how I am going to torture him once he is in my clutches. No, Shílì. Leave him. He's only a swine before a pearl."

"I must advise against it," the butler persisted. "The Acolyte breed are said to be on par with us kitsune. Why, the best, Jaeston Jaqueove and Luscious Melodic, are believed to be equal to an eight-tailed kitsune."

Commander Jaqueove and Head Inquisitor Melodic of the Observatory. Jiāoào had heard of them before. Anyone involved in the supernatural world had heard of them. They were two of the few humans on this planet to fear. Even his father would be hesitant to draw their ire. As hesitant as one would knowing they would have to dirty their boots walking over mud, anyways. There was no doubt his father would turn out triumphant.

Jiāoào snorted as he gave his servant a dry look, "Perhaps. But this boy isn't either of those two. He is but a human child with no notoriety worth mentioning. He hasn't made any echoes in the supernatural world. And if he had, he is not impressive enough to reach my ears. Your priority is Lillian. Are we clear, Shílì?"

"…Very well, Lord Jiāoào," Shílì bowed again and excused himself.

For a moment, Jiāoào could have sworn his butler sounded disappointed. He dismissed it as he began to enter deeper into the mansion. His two slaves had scurried away to prepare the bedroom for his arrival long ago.

0-0-0

"…And then I'm here," Lillian said as she glanced at both Chase and Coralynne. She had a lost and confused expression, which was the norm for those who had been hypnotized. "I'm sitting here with you, beloved. We were just at the school."

Coralynne waited patiently for the girl to finish telling her story. There wasn't a point in hearing it when both she and Chase had been there the entire time and fully aware of their surroundings. The point of listening was to let the girl cope with what happened. It was more psychological than it was analytical.

"Yeah, that'll do it," Chase muttered as he leaned on the armrest of the outdoor couch. He propped and elbow and let his cheek rest against his knuckles. "Chris got shipped to a hospital while Stradt here escorted us back home."

"Why hypnotize me?" Lillian asked, looking up at Coralynne. She was unhappy, but oh well.

"Because there is only one thing I have that can force Chase to listen to me and I don't want a bunch of mundane children seeing it," Coralynne answered in a weary tone. "I apologize if my spell left you disoriented. It was an AoE that affects everyone in a radius."

"Still a dog, Hakanami," Chase huffed as he looked over her shoulder.

"Please call him Cornelius," Coralynne corrected, more out of habit than anything.

"AoE?" Lillian tilted her head to the side, then glanced between the both of them. "Hakanami? Cornelius? Beloved, what are you talking about?"

"Area of effect," Chase answered while giving her a sideways glance. "It's a term used mostly in games but we apply it in our strategy meetings sometimes too. It's basically something that affects multiple targets in a wide range."

"Oh, I see," Lillian nodded slowly. "And… the other things?"

"Need to know," Coralynne and Chase said at the same time. She spoke before he could after that, "Lillian, will you please excuse Chase and I? There are some things we need to discuss in private."

The confusion washed away quickly and was replaced with defiance. Her brows scrunched up (admittedly cutely) as she scooted a little closer to Chase. "I would like to be close to my mate. I'm staying here."

"I would have allowed it if those feelings were reciprocated," Coralynne returned bluntly. "As far as I'm aware, Chase hasn't agreed to follow with your mating customs. You are a guest. Now, I'd like to ask you again."

Though she said she would ask, Coralynne put a little bit of emphasis in her tone. Lillian still had a fighting spirit in her but it wasn't as bold as before.

"Go on," Chase nudged at the kitsune with his elbow. "I'll be right here. This will only take a moment."

Lillian looked conflicted. She sat there, arguing with herself on whether she should listen or not. All it took was one look from Chase for Lillian to decide. She got up and moved towards the door. She did, however, give Coralynne a dirty look as if it mattered before slipping inside.

It didn't stop the girl from peeping through the gaps in the shutters. She thought she was hidden but Coralynne could see movement behind them.

Coralynne waved her hand and drew upon her magic. A veil was cast around them in a rectangle exactly as long and wide as the porch. It would ward away any wandering gaze, silence their conversation, and blur out their appearance for those strong enough to resist the subtler magic within.

"So…" Chase began as he crossed his arms and leaned back. "House arrest?"

"House arrest," Coralynne stood straight as she looked down at him. "You went too far. If I cannot trust you to behave in a public area, I am going to confine you in a secluded one. Be glad I'm allowing you to remain here and not in some cell."

"Don't act like you can make me do anything," he returned with his scowl hardening.

"I can and I will," she wouldn't budge. "Chase, he was just a boy."

"He's an animal pretending to be human. This wasn't some hothead who thought he could bully someone smaller than him. He hated Lillian for what she was. He was going to kill her. I stopped him."

"Don't try to justify yourself," she squawked at him. "You and I both know that's shit. You have the skills to deal with him better. Instead, you let your problems out on him. You turned him into an excuse."

"I think crippling his pride was the best choice at the time," he said and meant it. He glared up at her, "What? Was I supposed to, I don't know, tell a teacher? Someone with some kind of authority? Like you?"

"Yes," she said in a firm voice. "I would have dealt with him if you told me."

He made a noise in the back of his throat. It was the closest thing to a chuckle he would do.

She stared down at him.

"Oh," he blinked and leaned further into his seat. "You're serious."

"Very," she said in a cold and flat tone.

She nearly slid off the wooden railing when he suddenly burst into a thunderous uproar of laughter. It wasn't an overly exaggerated act. His shoulders rolled around as his arms wrapped around his stomach. A large grin spread across his face as his eyes narrowed with tears.

He was genuinely laughing at her and her morals. A burning sensation rose from her chest, slithered up her neck, and made a home into her cheeks and ears. She wouldn't have been so bothered had it been anyone else, including one of her Knights. But to have Chase laugh in her face made her feel so… humiliated.

When he came down, he had her full attention. "Stradt… Coralynne, I have an entire life of experience that can tell you how stupid that idea is. Two lives, in fact. I've dealt with bullies for as long as I can remember. Asking for help is one thing, but getting someone else to do it for you is such a terrible solution.

"Look at the way the Magistrate treated your affair with Valdius. Look at the way the vampire courts treat Claudia and ignored Progenitor Artus. Look at the way the Observatory treats John and Janice. No one helped us when we asked for it. No one.

"Suppose… I did ask for your help. You get Chris… Fletcher? Fleicher? Fuck it. You get Chris off my back. It's only a temporary solution. He'll always be watching me, looking for a moment to get me the very second you're not looking. And once he finds a way to do it and not get caught, he'll jump at that opportunity without hesitation."

"I asked you for help once," she said in a low voice. "You saved me."

"No, you dumped your problem on me and made it my own," he retorted with an agitated tone. "Let me remind you it took you a hundred _thousand_ failures while I succeeded in my first try. Which one of our methods worked better, Stradt?"

"But to beat that boy to the brink of death?" she leapt in before he could continue with his… lecture. No, his _opinion_. She would never admit this philosophy was correct. "With or without my help, Chase, I _know_ you could have handled him better."

"Isn't that what you did when he challenged you?" he asked.

"I humiliated him, yes," she admitted. "But I never hurt him. I only showed how pointless it was for him to fight me. I showed him how big of a gap there is between he and I. _Without_ hurting him."

She repeated that last part quickly, just when he opened his mouth to argue.

She took in a deep breath to calm herself. She was supposed to be in charge. She was the one who was supposed to punish him. "Chase, I don't know what's going on with you lately. I didn't want to say it but… you've changed. At first I thought it was about Serene but… that's not the case, is it? What happened while you were gone?"

She pleaded with him with her eyes.

He sat there for a moment. His body went still as if time couldn't touch him. She knew he was thinking within his inner self. His body was just a vessel to interact with the physical world. She never learned what he was but knew enough to not pry into it. Time also seemed to exist differently within his actual self. It did not mean a minute here was an hour in there. No, it meant the concept of time according to him was so vastly different it may as well be classified as something else.

"There's a lot of things that come to mind," Chase said with life returning to his physical body. It was like watching something wear his skin like a jacket and then adjust it to fit comfortably. It wasn't natural but she had gotten accustomed to see him like this. "What's become of the Knights of Luna and how you run the city is one thing. I'm more annoyed by it than anything."

"It's more than that," she repeated. She moved away from the railing to sit next to him. Their knees touched and he gave her a sideways glance at the gesture. "What happened to you when you were gone? You might not be able to see it for yourself, but you are a different person than how you were before you left. You remind me of the boy you were when we first met. Very bitter and angry at the world. You're looking for an excuse to lash out at it."

"What're you talking about?" his brows furrowed. "I'm always bitter and angry at the world. It's kinda what fuels my Flame and Frost affinities. Plus, I lash out at the world because it always tries to pick a fight with me."

All she could do was sigh in disappointment. She gave him a sad look, "Fine. If you don't want to talk about it, I won't press you. But… Chase, I want you to know you mean a lot to me. We might not have the most ideal friendship but I do worry about you immensely. I might still be trapped in that time loop if it weren't for you."

"…But you're still going to put me under house arrest," he gave her a blunt look. "Despite how much you owe me."

"It's for your own good," she told him firmly. He made a noise in the back of his throat and rolled his eyes. She ignored it, "I need you to stop looking for trouble. You may disagree with the way things are but everything is under control. If you continue to look for trouble, you will be the one who causes it. I need you to sit here and calm down.

"I'm only leaving you here for a week. Take the time to think about what you want to do with your life. Chase, you can have the life you always wanted if only you'll let me help you."

She left him with that. She placed a hand on his thigh and gave him a long look. He returned the gaze, albeit with a bit of reluctance and childish spite. He said nothing else.

She stepped off the porch and dismantled her spell. Not a second after, she heard the door open and sensed Lillian's glare on the back of her head. Coralynne gave the girl no mind as she stepped out of the lawn and shut the gate behind her.

0-0-0

"Claudia," the voice of Hanna came to her ears as her shoulder was nudged gently. "Claudia. You need to wake up."

"Mngh," Claudia groaned as she blinked a few times. Her eyes squinted despite the dim lighting. She lifted her head off of the couch to look up at her assistant, "Someone better be dead, Hanna."

"Chase is on the phone for you," the teenage girl replied. "He said he'll wait."

Immediately, all of the grogginess that came from a four hour nap was ripped out of her like a band aid that had been left there for too long. It was a forced alertness that typically came from the sound of an explosion going off down the reception area. Or whenever Chase was involved.

Or both. Most explosions that happened in all of Los Angeles were caused by Chase.

"How's my hair?" she asked as she began to comb her fingers through it hastily.

"He won't be able to see you," Hanna put with an amused glint in her eyes.

"These things matter, Hanna," Claudia argued back. "I can't feel confident if I don't look it. It's going to bug me in the back of my mind while I talk to him."

"Chase only deserves the best," Hanna didn't hide the sarcasm from her voice. "You look fine, Claudia. You always do. You're a damn vampire. Everything you do is flawless."

"You're darn right I am," Claudia muttered back as she stood up to straighten her clothes. She was still in her school uniform and her hair was down. Hanna handed her a pair of hair sticks and Claudia began to fix her hair into a bun as she crossed through the office floor. Her wheelchair was already at her desk and she sat upon it as though it were a throne.

Hanna silently asked if she should leave. Claudia shook her head as she turned on the blinking red light and speaker for the phone system.

"Good evening Chase," she let her voice sing. "How are things going on your end?"

 _"Oh, you know, the usual,"_ his voice was a complete contrast to hers. It was blunt and feral. Something was bothering him. _"I'd thought you'd be awake by now. Should I have called later?"_

"It's almost sundown, Chase," she giggled. "I've been up for a while."

 _"You're trying a little too hard to be in a good mood, Claudia,"_ he muttered in a tone that tried to not be rude. _"You only do that when you're still trying to wipe the sleep out of your mind."_

She slouched slightly in her chair as she pouted. She glared at the phone, imagining it to be his face. "If you don't want me to be in a good mood then I can be a total bitch. Is that what you want?"

 _"Try me,"_ he challenged. _"Claudia if you_ can _be bitchy at me, I'll let you drink from me for as long as you want."_

 _"WHAT?!"_ came the shriek of Lillian from the background.

Claudia's brows furrowed slightly. Her scowl was nowhere near as masterful as Chase's. She also couldn't find the urge to be mean at him. Her face was on fire as she thought of the reward for his challenge. She tried her hardest to summon her darkest thoughts. But when he said things like that to her it was impossible!

"…You don't have to be so mean all the time," she pouted. This was the point where he was supposed to apologize but instead she received a long silence. She straightened herself out and pressed on, "What can I do for you Chase? I appreciate the call but would have preferred a personal visit instead."

" _I've been considering your offer from the other day,"_ he began. She recalled telling him something of the sort when last they met. _"To be frank, I'm bored. All Lillian and I have been doing is watch movies, read comics, and play games. The house is getting stuffy."_

She gave the phone a puzzled look, "Is there something stopping you from stepping outside to enjoy the entertainment capital of the world? Your bank account should still have money."

" _I have a bank account?"_ he genuinely seemed surprised. _"Probably wouldn't use it anyways. Trails and all that. I'm going to assume you and Stradt haven't convened these past few days, have you?"_

"Carly and I are busy with our separate responsibilities and have agreed to hold semi-weekly conferences," she explained. "Our next tea party is this Sunday. Is there something I should have been notified about immediately?"

 _"Well since you haven't heard, I'm under house arrest,"_ he huffed with a mix of spite and mockery.

"This is news to me," her face went aghast. She snapped a finger at Hanna, who immediately began to fiddle with her phone to access the LAPD records. "I have not been notified of your arrest nor of any court hearing and sentence."

 _"It's not through the police,"_ she heard shuffling from his end. Probably to move the phone to the other ear. _"She herself placed it on me. I beat the shit out of some… what was he Lillian? Yeah, that. An inu. Stradt thought it would be best I remain here to calm down or some shit like that."_

"I'm surprised you're complying so willingly," she stated in a simple tone. And then she considered her statement. "At least this far until asking me to let you out. You don't need to use me as an excuse, Chase. There's really nothing stopping you from walking out… is there?"

 _"So she thinks. But I'd rather not push my luck. I was wondering if you had any jobs that took me out of the city. Preferably something I can have Lillian tag along for."_

Claudia heard Lillian squeal with excitement on the other end while she thought about Chase's request. There were plenty of jobs Claudia needed done within Los Angeles. She would have preferred Chase to have completed them but she could get someone else. She understood the chance of him stepping outside and roaming around in the city for any reason (business or pleasure) would risk someone from Coralynne's faction spotting him.

"I happen to have a few things at the moment," she said while gesturing to Hanna. The human girl pulled up the notepad app from her phone and slid the device across the desk. It was listed as 'groceries' and had peculiar items on it instead of actual jobs. Things like 'dog food', 'vampire's kiss', 'swamp juice', and such others. In the case Hanna's phone was ever compromised, no one would be able to understand what it all meant. Still… with Chase's request to bring Lillian along, the list was narrowed down to a very small margin.

"Just two things, really," she muttered as she slid the phone back over to Hanna. "There is a list of names I need delivered personally from the underworld ruler of Arizona. The other is an evaluation of estate I plan on purchasing in Florida. What would you like to know about first?"

She heard something from Lillian. There came a muffled noise of Chase covering the mic of his phone while he talked to Lillian. Claudia waited patiently for them to finish.

 _"Lillian says her family lives in Florida and doesn't want to risk running into them,"_ he stated in a flat tone. Claudia could almost hear him roll his eyes in that tone. _"So I guess we'll take the Arizona job. When's the soonest we can leave?"_

"He runs a newspaper business so… probably best to leave during the witching hour and meet with him before dawn. The sunrises there are beautiful, Chase."

 _"Says the vampire who uses smog as shade,"_ he quipped.

"I can watch the sunrise through tinted windows!" she grew flustered but then quickly retracted herself back into her seat. "If you are content with this job, I will email you the information and flight tickets. I'll have someone let you and Lillian pass through security once you arrive at LAX."

 _"Thank you, Claudia,"_ his voice was soft. _"I owe you dinner for this one."_

"You owe me more than just dinner, Chase Rolan," she grumbled back.

 _"Hmm… You're right. When I get back I'll send you a liter of my blood."_

He hung up before Claudia could retort. He left her shaking in her seat in a gawking, blushing mess.

"A whole liter," Hanna whistled. She gave Claudia a mischievous look.

"Hanna," Claudia's voice was warning. Or she hoped it was. Her face felt like it was on fire.

"Isn't that like getting a dildo modeled after your boyfriend's dick to vampires?" Hanna cackled.

"S-Shut up, Hanna!" Claudia's face burned hotter. She covered her face with her hands as she tried to force the thoughts out of her mind.

"It's not as good as the real thing but that doesn't mean you can't have fun with it," Hanna continued. "Look at you, Claudia. You act like a sweet innocent girl but behind that all you're really one thirsty cougar."

"D-D-Don't you have plane tickets to get for me?!"

"Yes, your imperialness," Hanna continued to laugh as she turned to leave her office. She could have procured everything Chase would need right there on her phone. They both knew she was leaving to give Claudia some space.

Claudia slammed her head against the desk. The cold wood did wonders to her burning face. She cursed Chase and the image he forced onto her mind. A whole liter of his scrumptious blood. Yes, it wouldn't be as good since she wouldn't be drinking straight from his veins. But that didn't mean she could haven't fun with—

"…Dammit, Hanna."

0-0-0

LAX was an airport. That was all her beloved said to her but it wasn't until they parked, took a tram from the parking lot, and then arrive at the outside counter did she realize what he meant. It was a sect of stations crammed together in one large building with different companies offering the same service: transportation. The one they stopped at was American Airlines.

Lillian watched people come and go through the doors and outside traffic. Cars drove in a single direction to drop off others or parked temporarily to pick up new arrivals. Even at this unholy hour was the transit flooding with people. Most of which were dressed in suits while Lillian spotted the occasional casual attire.

"Working again, Mister Rolan?" the clerk who checked baggage gave her beloved a bored look. He was a middle-aged man with no remarkable features.

"Just temporarily," Chase gave a just as bland remark. "I trust everything is in order?"

"Bob here will take you through," the clerk said as he turned his head to look at the security officer to the side. They nodded at each other before returning to Chase, "Enjoy your trip and thank you for choosing American Airlines."

He dismissed them in favor of assisting the next group waiting in line. Chase walked towards the security guard with Lillian following at his side. Without a word, the security guard led them into the main building, down several aisles of counters with other employees assisting travelers, and through a door that had been locked by keypad and card swipe. Further along, they were led down a concrete hallway, up a staircase, and back out through another electrically locked door.

"There you are," said the guard as he held the door open for them to cross through. "You stay out of trouble, kids."

"Yes officer," Chase's tone was droll. "We've learned our lesson."

The guard snorted and shut the door behind him. Lillian didn't get the chance to thank him.

They were deeper in the building and in what looked like a waiting platform. There were several aisles of seats, counters to use stationary and to charge electronics, and rows upon rows of glass windows that went from the floor all the way to the ceiling. Lillian got a look at the lit roads outside that stretched out as far as she could see. Airplanes came and went in an orderly fashion.

She saw one take off, rising up into the air. Suddenly her stomach did flips.

"What's wrong?" her beloved noticed immediately.

"I've… never flown before," she admitted.

His brows furrowed, "Then how'd you get from Greece to Florida? By _boat_?"

She nodded and his brows rose up to his bangs.

"Well you're in for a treat," he said as he reached inside his jacket for the tickets he printed out before leaving. He looked at the details briefly, "The trip shouldn't take more than two hours. An hour and a half, really. You should probably try to get some sleep. I don't know what to expect once we land so you might not get a chance again."

She stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around one of his. He let her, though gave her a sideways glance at the gesture. She smiled lovingly at him, "You and I took a nap together on the couch earlier. I'll stay up a little longer if you will."

"Uh, no, you fell asleep while _Space Balls_ was playing," he bit back sourly. "On top of me too. My face was smashed between yours and the armrest."

She giggled and pressed herself closer to him. Her breasts consumed his arm, "Do you know what I learned about you while we were home alone for so long? The more you complain… the more I know you like it."

"Usually people complain because they _don't_ like something," he grumbled back.

"Then tell me you don't like it and I'll stop," she leaned close and whispered into his ear.

He didn't meet her gaze as his brows fell into a flat line. She knew she had won. Again. Once she learned how to push his buttons did she know how to play him. He was a total _tsundere_. While he would never admit to liking her or anything they did together, he would also never lie to her. She learned quickly his responses were always vague enough for her to assume her own truths. After discovering this, she was able to have him wrapped around her finger.

She was one step closer to her ultimate goal.

Despite this small victory, that's all it was. A small victory. While she had always been able to touch him since their first day together, there was a difference to it now. Before, he had a guard up around her, constantly watching her and anticipating her to brandish a knife out of nowhere. Now that expectation was dropped and he was more leisure around her company. He no longer watched her, giving her a small amount of trust.

Their relationship hadn't gotten any closer. They cuddled, they slept in the same bed, and she always had her arms around him. But that was the thing. _She_ always instigated everything. He had yet to meet her halfway.

She wouldn't normally mind being patient… even when it was a battle every day to not rip his clothes off and go to town on him. But she had a timeline; one that was fast approaching.

Her beloved looked up at the ceiling when a voice spoke over the intercom.

"That's our flight," he said while glancing back down at the tickets. "Come on. They're boarding right now. We get to go in first."

They walked off together. She kept her hands to herself this time— gaining another look from her mate but no comment. He led them to one of the several reception desks with a screen displaying schedules and destinations behind them. He handed over their tickets, which were scanned and returned, and one of the receptionists gestured for the open door behind the desk. He and Lillian were the only ones allowed to enter while there was a line of people behind them.

After a narrow hallway, they stepped through a small door that forced her to duck her head before entering. She blinked as she saw a single aisle with a few dozen rows of paired seats. The room they were in was tight and would soon be cramped once people started to enter. It was almost claustrophobic.

"Here," Chase said as he pointed at one particular column of seats. "I'll let you have the window. But I call dibs on the way back."

She blushed as she only then realized they were inside the airplane. She took her seat and gazed out of the rectangular window. Other than a few humans in brightly colored vests running around, she couldn't see much else.

As soon as her beloved took his seat, a woman in a pressed navy uniform stepped up and handed him a Styrofoam cup of hot coffee.

"Thank you, Samantha," he said as if it were a preprogramed response.

"You're quite welcome," the woman said with a voice that made Lillian's skin crawl. There was too much affection in it. Affection, hunger, and adoration. This woman wanted her mate.

She was very pretty, for a human anyways. She had sunflower yellow hair, chalk white skin, and a rich shade of brown-red eyes. While she had a good hourglass figure, she was still on the thin side. She couldn't be any older than sixteen. She was smiling lovingly for Chase with eyes bright as though this one moment was going to be something she revered for the rest of her life.

She didn't give Lillian a single glance as she walked back out the exit of the plane.

"Beloved—" she began to question.

"Her name's Samantha," he answered readily, knowing she would ask. He sipped on the black liquid as he leaned back in his seat. His eyes never met hers. "She would be my professional stalker. Can't get rid of her and so long as I give her _some_ attention she won't become a danger. This is the most she ever does to interact with me. Your position with me isn't threatened."

He had been able to answer every question that popped inside her head. It was as if he had to answer these things multiple times to multiple people and had made a habit out of it. There was a moment of silence as she tried to regain her bearings.

People started to enter the cabin. Some took curious glances at them for being the only ones in their seats and served. After a while, the looks stopped coming and were replaced with them trying to find their seats.

"I feel like I should say something," she muttered sourly.

"Feel free to," he shrugged. "But if you want to be a part of me as much as you claim, Samantha comes with the package. I can't get rid of her. She will always be a thing and no amount of effort will get her away from me. Police, magic, divine intervention; she has and will find a way around these things. Just know I have no intention at all in sleeping with her."

"Beloved, why are you surrounded by so many cute girls?" she had to ask with a slight pout. There were the four girls she met at his school, Claudia, and now this… stalker.

To her surprise, the cup in his hand hovered before taking a sip. He took some serious thought to her question. "I guess I am. Fuck if I know why."

She didn't like that answer. But such was the nature of the protagonist, she supposed. There was always a harem involved even when he would pick a main girl. So long as she dug in her heels and make sure she was the main girl, all other hussies could have as much fanservice scenes as they wanted. _She_ would be the final route in the end.

"Buckle your seatbelt," her beloved said suddenly, snapping her out of her fantasy bubble. "They're about to take off."

She fidgeted with the two strips attached to her seat. When Chase saw her fighting with them, he placed his coffee between his legs and offered his help. He buckled her in, pulled the strap to tighten the hold, and asked her if it was too tight. She brightened up at his concern and he went back at grumbling nonsense while sipping his coffee.

The vehicle they sat upon began to move. It wasn't any different from the car they drove in. She looked outside the window as the scene began to change from being parked near the building to moving onto the roadway. There was a ping over their heads. Another woman stepped up and began to display certain objects of importance while the voice explained safety precautions and what items will save their lives. She did it with a plastic smile.

There was a low rev as the engines at the wings of the plane began to accelerate. The steward took her seat at the front of the plane and strapped herself in. The pilot announced they were clear for take off.

The plane began to accelerate. There was enough force for Lillian to feel herself being forced back into her seat. She paid it no mind as she looked outside the window and saw the lights blur into a singular streak. They picked up speed quickly.

Suddenly, she felt all of her gravity fall to her feet. Her stomach didn't so much as flip as it fell into the fetal position and scream bloody murder. The plane jerked as it lifted off of the ground and began to ascend into the sky.

She let out a long gasp of air. A squeal that couldn't become a scream. Her hands clasped tightly onto the armrests as her heart thundered against her chest.

As this was happening, her mate took another casual sip of his coffee. He glanced at her in the corner of his eye and took another sip thereafter.

His hand fell over her petrified one. An electric current flowed through his grip and moved up her arm. She felt her muscles loosen but it didn't do much else for her racing heart. Or the anxiety. She wound up flipping her hand over and knitting her fingers between his. She squeezed with all her might. Were she aware, it would have been strong enough to crush a normal human's bones.

He said nothing as he returned the grip… and sipped more of his coffee.

This continued for the next thirty minutes. When they stopped ascending and fell into a drift, she fell began to hyperventilate. He ushered calming words that she couldn't make out and that eased her… until the cabin shook due to turbulence. The process repeated a few more times.

…Until the world went dark.

0-0-0

Davin Monstrang took a long slurp of his morning coffee while scanning over the reports of the local area. In the early hours of the morning, his office was as quiet as a mouse. The Spartan room only had its white walls, the lone file cabinet, and his wooden desk. At least that's all there was on the mundane surface. There were a few tricks and traps underneath but none of those were important to the scenery.

There was a knock on his door. His first appointment was here.

"Enter," he said. His voice was booming within this silence.

The door didn't make a noise as a young man entered the room. Davin's ageless eyes judged this man immediately. Though he was young, he had seen more than most in this era. He leaned in his chair to rethink this observation. The young man had seen more than any other within the past thousand years.

Davin had consoled young men before. Soldiers who had murdered their brethren, assassins who had dishonored their betters, and the sacrilegious who had defiled the most virtuous. Yet, the man who had entered his office had the eyes of all of those men before and beyond.

Beyond. The man had ventured into the cosmos itself and seen things not of this universe. He was burdened by the faults of those both earthbound and celestial.

"By God," the man swore as he kicked the door shut behind him. "You can give the fat ass a run for his money. She didn't warn me about you."

It hadn't been a pointless jab wrought from ignorance. He was intentionally rude to see how Davin would react. The young man was studying the youkai as much as the ancient creature was. A bountiful amount of personal information was exchanged in this brief period.

Davin clamped his large hands together over his desk as he let the man have his moment. Though his visage was that of a mundane human, his presence itself was anything but. This man could walk among gods and not bow before them, fear them, and maybe even mock them as mediocre creatures. There was also an aura around him that warranted Davin to be cautious around him. He did not mean something metaphysical he could grasp like youki. It was a gravitas only the likes of kings, warlords, and champions have inherited through inconceivable trials.

The man was dangerous, without a doubt.

To think he, one of the Youkai Saints, would have to be cautious around a human. The only ones who could force him to behave like this were the kyuubi kitsunes, the earthbound deities still roaming the planet, the Progenitor vampires, and the Predators. He pondered which one of those was this lad.

"Mister Rolan," Davin regarded the man with a single nod. "Claudia des Angelica notified me of your arrival. Can I get you anything?"

The queen of Los Angeles had described her unofficial Grave Keeper as a young mortal adult. Yet the one in front of him was a premature adolescent— he was younger than his ward with hardly five feet in height. A ruse, no doubt. Despite the youth, his eyes and presence matched that of someone a decade or more than a preteen.

"Thank you but I'm fine," the young man replied with the glow of his red and blue eyes intensifying. Davin didn't comment as he felt a psychic invasion upon looking at them. "I'd prefer to get straight to business before anything surprises me. Do you have the list Progenitor Angelica requested?"

"I have it," Davin said before shielding his mind from this Acolyte eye technique. He put up a mental wall to block any scrying. The one in front of him didn't blink. "However, you will have to understand my disinclination for handing over sensitive information. I will need proof the one I deliver it to will be able to properly safeguard it from those who will abuse this information."

The man said nothing for a moment. He stared at Davin in silence. Slowly, his right brow arched in condemnation. "You and I both know nothing but years of experience together will give you that much trust in anyone. Progenitor Angelica demanded this list and you offered to give it to her. I'm only here to deliver it. I could tell you whoever demands it from me will receive a good anti-magic bullet to the face, but you wouldn't believe me, would you?"

An anti-magic bullet? Anti-magic was fantastical at best— the sort of things he had seen in novels and media. Yet, this man had spoken without any deception as if anti-magic was something he had discovered and had access to on his person.

"There are ways to get men to talk," Davin's voice was a low rumble as he pressed the issue. "Everyone has a price. Everyone has a weakness. I need to know if those things are worth more than the value of this list."

"Fair enough," the man dipped his head as he thought to himself. His eyes flicked back up to Davin half a second after. "You seem like you've been around the block a few times."

"I have my fair share of experiences in my youth," Davin spread his hands in a casual shrug before cupping them back together. "If you are asking why I am worthy to safeguard such knowledge, it is because very few in this world would dare try me. And those powerful enough to do so would find the information too insubstantial for their grandeur. Even then, they will not walk away without something permanently lost."

He said with a toothy grin. The bloodlust came rushing back to him as he remembered his prime when the world settled its matters through brutality and strength. He forced it back down and lowered the ferocious smile into a crooked grin.

The young man scowled as his lipped thinned into a straight line. He spoke with a voice filled with bitter cold, "The only thing I would permanently lose from you is time. You will find I'm overqualified to know a few names."

He raised six fingers.

Davin instinctively gulped. The smile and lingering bloodlust within him froze in a flash.

He had come across one other man like this before. His name had been Kaname Shisharo and he had been an absolute terror among the youkai. Not even the kyuubis would dare stand in his way.

A decade ago, Kaname had business with the local Observatory and had been polite enough to introduce himself to Davin. He had raised three fingers to announce his station.

Well… at least Davin's suspicions were correct. This young man was one of those things he'd never hope to come across.

"There are… six now," Davin's voice was low. He wasn't sure what to be more startled about. The fact this lad was one of them or… there were now _six_ of those things in the planet.

"Eight, actually," the young man commented, which did little to ease Davin's racing heart. "I'd like to not prove my credentials. You've got a warehouse full of mundies and I really don't want to expose them to something backed by the World."

"No, I believe you," Davin shook his head, a few more times than usual to rattle his mind back to alertness. "I'm rarely surprised, Mister Rolan. I had hoped to never come across another one of your kind for another century. I am impressed Progenitor Angelica has acquired your services."

"Being me doesn't pay bills," the young man answered the unasked question. "Now, about that list…?"

Davin had been prepared since receiving the message from the little vampire. While there _was_ a safe hidden in his office with plenty of traps to protect it, the safe itself was a decoy. Davin reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper. He had been protecting this information on his person since acquiring it. He placed it flat on the desk and slid it forward.

The names must never be spoken out loud, else alert those who owned them and perhaps conjure them into this plane of existence. Some roamed around the planet and wreaked havoc. Some were locked away in the great beyond and were waiting to be unleashed. All they needed was their name to be spoken.

The young man took the list, opened it with his thumb, and read silently. There were only five names listed and the slip wasn't any bigger than his palm. Davin watched as he read the first two names with no concern. The third name made his brows furrow.

He spoke its name with confusion.

Davin's heart froze as an eldritch presence filled the room. Something not meant for this plane of existence had just invaded the square space. His eyes moved to the left where an invisible _thing_ stood on his floor.

The young man stared at it. His eyes had gone flat. He lowered the paper as he gave the invader his full attention.

And just like that, the thing was gone. It went back the way it came and the alien presence vanished along with it. It had been invited into this plane, saw a chance to escape into this reality, and decided it wouldn't be worth the effort trying to get through the young man.

"Don't do that again," Davin growled in warning.

"My bad," the young man grumbled without an ounce of apology. He read through the rest of the names before looking up at Davin. "Do you need this?"

"I've not looked at it," Davin shook his head again. "The name you mentioned is already forgotten. The burden is now yours and soon to be Progenitor Angelica."

"Cool. Got a trashcan I can borrow?"

Davin leaned over and pulled out the metal trash bin he had behind his chair. It was full of tissues and crumbled balls of paper. The young man clasped his hands together with the list sealed within. There was a flash of light slipping through the cracks of his grip as he stepped up. He unclasped his hands and sprinkled the ashes into the trash. The names were lost forever and only the young man knew of its secrets. Unless he wrote it down again, none else would be able to learn of this.

"I trust you will be returning to your master now?" Davin asked.

"Claudia's my employer and I'm not her Grave Keeper any longer," he replied while dusting his hands off of his jeans.

Before he could continue, the phone began to ring. Davin asked with a silent gesture if he could answer and the young man shrugged.

"What is it?" Davin's voice was low and reverberating. Someone must have botched something if they were calling him directly. His scowl became one of confusion as he listened to the one on the other line. He drew the piece away from his ear before extending it out for the lad. "I believe this is for you."

The young man scowled further as he stepped back up to the desk and accepted the receiver. "Hello?"

Davin leaned back in his chair and politely pretended his superior hearing couldn't listen in on the conversation. The two in the room knew this was a farce and pretended otherwise.

 _"Where the hell are you?!"_ the Archmage of Los Angeles let loose the seething rage she had held back for Davin's sake.

"Arizona," the young man's response was neutral. "Working."

 _"A…Arizona? Chase, you're supposed to be under house arrest! That does not mean you get to pick up and leave whenever you want!"_

"I'm going to assume since you're calling me you're at my house," he switched ears and began to rub at the one that had been abused by the shouting. "Did you need something? And is it so important you had to call someone else's phone?"

 _"You don't have one and this is the only way I can reach you,"_ her voice no longer yelled but it was still seething with anger. _"I am at your house. Along with Sarah and Ginger. It's almost dawn, Chase. We were all going to make breakfast and enjoy it with you."_

He was quiet briefly as he adjusted his weight. "I was going to be back by noon. I didn't forget about those two. I just expected them to show up at a later time. You know, like normal teenagers who like to sleep in on weekends."

 _"…You've become more of an ass since you've come back. I want you here, Chase Rolan._ Now. _"_

"…Or what?" he asked after a pause. When there was no immediate response, he went on, "Stradt, I _was_ going to be back before noon. But I think it's best if you cool off for a bit. I'll be back later. Not sure when. But later."

The Archmage began to say something, but the young man calmly hung up on her.

"So that's my situation," he muttered as he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out folded up plane tickets. Instead of burning them, he tore them into shreds. "I was going to be out of your territory after breakfast but it looks like I'm going to be sticking around a little longer. Do I have your permission to wander around?"

"I cannot force you to do anything," Davin said what they both knew as truth. "However, as this territory is under my jurisdiction, you have my permission to remain so long as you abide by guest rules."

"I understand and will comply," the man nodded once. "I will be out of your hair in no longer than twenty-four hours. I'm just gonna ask… is there anything I should know about? Like if someone here is going to pick a fight with me for whatever reason?"

Davin took a moment to think about it based on what he had been able to gather from the lad, "There was one boy who hated kitsune, like the one you brought with you. He was quickly dealt with and expelled from these lands. Aside from that, you will find a warm welcome from the locals."

He put up a hand as he thought further. "There _are_ Observers stationed in the city. They are few in number. But if you manage to run into them, I believe they will have a problem with your existence. You would be an Accuser in their eyes."

"Well then, if a fight breaks out I can promise you to deal with them quickly before anyone unrelated gets involved," the young man responded swiftly. "They'll more than likely use a Spectral Barrier to isolate me. I'll use that to my advantage. And if they plan on endangering the locals with direct confrontation, I'll subdue them with mundane methods. The Retch Accords is my priority."

Davin nodded with agreement. Retch Zell had saved the majority of the moonlit world when she suggested a set of guidelines for the magic community. When an agreement was made and signed by the major magical factions, it was dubbed the Retch Accords. After a few centuries of surviving witch hunters, several other supernatural factions adopted these guidelines as their own. It has been the foundation in which all monsters and irregulars follow in order to live within the dominant human world.

In layman's terms, if they acted like humans then they were to be treated like humans. And normal humans didn't possess mystical powers whatsoever.

"Then by all means," Davin shrugged. "Would you like me to call Progenitor Angelica on your behalf?"

"Thank you but I'll be doing that on my own," the young man declined politely.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Davin's eyes flashed to the electric clock at the corner of his desk. More than enough time had passed for the day to begin proper. The young man stepped towards the side of the room and regarded the door warily.

"This will only take a moment," Davin assured him before raising his voice. "Come in."

The door opened and a young man in relative age to his guest entered. This was his ward— and someone completely unrelated to the supernatural world. Or at least should have been. The boy had been exposed to an inu and saved by a yuki-onna. Aside from that, he was completely human with no remarkable traits. It was only due to a long history with the boy's mother did Davin watch over him in secret.

The boy poked his head in, spotted the guest, and regarded Davin with slight reluctance, "Mister Monstrang, should I come back later? I didn't realize you had company."

"Have you finished with your route, Kevin?" Davin put up a solid and unbending front for the boy.

"Yes," Kevin responded quickly as he shut the door behind him. "Just did and was wondering if I could have…" the words faded from his mouth as he looked away.

Davin's attention was drawn temporarily to his guest. The young man was wasn't just watching Kevin. He was studying him, trying to figure out what exactly Kevin was as though he were a new species entirely. His face was a blank to a normal person but Davin saw the inquisitiveness within those eyes.

Davin grumbled things that should never be mentioned in front of mothers below his breath. He did so the entire time as he pulled out a stack of dollar bills from one of the drawers of his desk and counted them in his hand. He slapped them on the surface with a loud _clack_ and continued to grumble obscenities at Kevin.

All the while, his guest never looked away from the boy.

Kevin stepped up at the sight of so much money for his young and inexperienced self. He accepted it and counted it right then and there. He blinked and looked up at Davin.

"Sir? There seems to be more than—"

"Are you suggesting I miscounted, Mister Swift?" Davin's voice challenged the boy… and added the tiniest drop of his youki to intimidate the boy.

Kevin broke out into a cold sweat, "N-No sir! I was just… No, thank you very much. Sorry for disturbing. Have a good weekend."

"Be sure to treat your lady friends with utmost respect," Davin said as soon as the boy turned back towards the door. Kevin hesitated as he looked at the older man over his shoulder. He wanted to say something— he had something on the tip of his tongue— but withhold whatever comment or question he had. He shook his head in dismissal before closing the door behind him.

Still, the young man's eyes followed Kevin even when there was a door between them. It was as though he was tracing Kevin's path to the outside.

"I would like to ask that you not get my ward involved with any of your affairs, if possible," Davin added that last part quickly.

"My gawking was mostly out of curiosity," the young man said simply. He went back to Davin, "In LA, there's an unspoken courtesy where you don't ask. But I'm gonna anyways. What is he?"

"Human," Davin answered immediately.

"Of course," he responded without satisfaction. Acceptance, but dissatisfaction.

Davin leaned forward and pressed, "What exactly did you see in him? As far as I'm aware, Kevin Swift is a regular human."

The young man regarded the question carefully, "He… reminds me of someone. I used to work with a mundane who had been taught Acolyte Aura techniques. To this day I can't pull off some of the tricks he had. That kid is similar to him. Not as an Acolyte but… something else. He's got a trace of… whatever it is that makes up you youkai."

This assessment answered so many of Davin's questions… but also opened a dozen more. He will have to speak with the boy's mother once again.

"He's not aware either, is he?" his guest asked.

"No," Davin's voice was flat. "And I would prefer it that way. Kevin has always been a common human and will always be that way."

"It's none of my business," the young man shrugged as he crossed his arms. "Well, I've a kitsune to take care of so if you'll excuse me. Oh, can you recommend a great spot to watch the sunrise?"

Davin grumbled a few directions to some of the ideal locations. His guest thanked him sincerely and left right after. The old youkai was left to the silence of the room once again. He leaned back in his chair, ignoring the creaking groan of the abused wood that had to be enchanted to support his weight. He didn't get back to work as he mulled over everything he had obtained from this conversation.

Another Kaname Shisharo was in his territory. He had no doubt at least one person was going to die today. The best he could do was damage control.

0-0-0

Chase walked out of the building to a gray sky with traces of red in the horizon. The sun would be up soon and he had a bit of a drive to reach that hilltop Davin mentioned. The names Claudia had requested were locked in his mind and no amount of psychic assault could reach them. After all, one cannot read a mind if the brain was dead anyways. His job was as good as done.

"Who's a good kitty? Yes you are. Yes you are~"

To the left of him as soon as he stepped out was the young man, Kevin. He looked like the average teenager in the early years of his high school life. At the moment, Kevin was playing with a cat in the bushes lining the wall of the front office building.

"Nya~" the cat said as it pushed its face into Kevin's affectionate hand.

"…Nya?" Chase's brows fell into a flat line as he eyed the cat.

"Nya?" the cat blinked and its head snapped up at Chase. It blinked once again before its eyes went wide with surprise. "Nya?!"

Kevin's eyes followed the cat's before tracing back up to Chase's. The younger boy seemed surprised to have not noticed his presence but not alarmed. "Oh, hi. I was just petting this cat. I found it wandering around here."

To the naked eye, it was a simple black cat. Yet there was a clear intelligence within those eyes. Its attention flickered between Chase and Kevin repeatedly as if it couldn't believe both boys were in front of it. There was a sort of elation coming from it like a child who had just gotten Christmas early.

Chase couldn't use an eye technique without having his eyes change colors in front of Kevin, so he couldn't pry into this thing's mind. However, he called upon a subtle amount of Aura and sent a pulse in the air. An electric wave traveled through the two in front of him. Kevin looked down curiously at how his arm hair suddenly stood up. But the cat looked even more surprised… a sort of surprise that told him it knew exactly what he had just tried to do.

His Aura had picked up youki, the same innate energy both Davin and those kitsunes had. Albeit, like the two species, this one had a unique signature.

"I'd be careful with that thing if I were you," Chase offered. "It looks like a lot of trouble."

"What? This?" Kevin gasped as he grabbed at the underside of the cat and lifted it at eye-level. Its legs dangled but seemed complacent being in Kevin's care. "Look at how adorable she is! How can you say something like this is a lot of trouble?"

"Nya!" the cat… nodded. It wasn't even trying to hide its identity anymore. Not even to the seemingly normal human. Then again… Kevin had cuteness goggles that fogged up his mind.

"Cat's don't say 'nya'," Chase said while glaring directly at the cat.

It froze and he swore it broke out into a cold sweat. Its face warped like a child who had just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "M-Meow…?"

Chase's brows fell so hard they covered half his vision. "Is that a _question_? And cats don't _say_ anything. Who are you trying to fool?"

The cat tried to make a normal cat noise. Tried. It came out as a mix between a frog's croak and a cow's moo. It knew it had failed and began to panic further.

"Hey, stop scaring her," Kevin pulled her back to cradle the thing into a bundle in his arms. He scratched at its chest, earning himself a set of purring. "See? It can make cat noises. There might be something wrong with its voice, that's all. Don't you worry. I'll take good care of you. Do you wanna come home with me? Do ya?"

At some point Kevin had forgotten about Chase as the boy began to coo at the cat.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Chase shrugged as he turned away from Kevin and headed towards the parking lot. Kevin was too lost with the cat to have noticed his words. However, Chase felt the cat's eyes on him the entire time.

He walked up to a simple silver civic— a rental he had procured after some hypnotism and a fake ID from the airport. He slipped into the driver's seat and scowled as his eyes could hardly peer over the dashboard. He hated being in his younger form. But the only choices he had were his fourteen-year-old self or his adult form. He had yet to figure out a way to alter his appearance any other way.

In the passenger seat, Lillian slept soundly. She was still buckled in place with her head turned slightly. Coming down from adrenaline had knocked her out cold as soon as they landed. He had to carry her most of the way.

A black jacket as dark as the night covered her chest. He didn't place it on her to keep her warm. Since he didn't want to wake her but didn't trust the area enough to leave her alone, he placed it on her. It was the best protection she would ever need should someone try anything in her state.

He reached for the jacket. The black material slithered into his skin and crawled over his body. Like a bird flying under the sun and casting a quick shadow, his appearance had changed back into his mature form. With it, all of his clothes turned black.

"Hmm…?" Lillian murmured as her eyes fluttered open. He watched her silently, wondering if she was going to fall back asleep or force herself up. She noticed his staring, smiled lovingly at him, and went through the process of waking up. She yawned and stretched as much as the car would allow. He shamelessly took the chance to admire her smooth belly and the way her tits were ready to tear the tank top in half.

"Good morning, Chase," she said sweetly with a bit of grogginess in her voice. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

"Morning," he greeted back. "How you feeling?"

She blushed and lowered her head, looking up at him through her bangs, "B-Better. I'm sorry for causing you trouble, beloved. Did you carry me from the plane?"

"I guess it was more my fault," he said as he stared out of the windshield. He watched Kevin place the cat into the basket of his bike. The boy continued to talk to it. The poor fool had no idea what he was getting himself involved with. "I didn't think you'd have such a panic attack over flying."

Lillian's eyes followed his. She watched Kevin walk his bike down the path before hopping on himself and start to pedal onto the main road.

"It's just not natural," Lilian returned to him. "Flying. If we were meant to fly, we'd all have wings. Or at least be born as a tengu. Maybe a magical school girl…?"

"It's more human mentality to try and defy nature," he commented. "Humans are the weakest bunch on the planet. Yet it's due to our stubbornness and tenacity to defy the natural order are we the dominant species. That's especially for purely mundane humans. Even I have to hide from my own kind. In any case, if God Himself says we can't do something, we're going to do it eventually. All we need is time to figure out how."

He felt Lillian sulk. She had gotten over the flying bit. He sensed she was sulking over his comments about humanity. Her kind was forced into hiding just like the Acolytes. He had no doubt a great deal of violence was the reason behind it.

He turned on the car, buckled his seatbelt, and clicked on the radio. "I'm going to drive somewhere to watch the sunrise. You can go back to sleep if you want. We can have breakfast afterwards."

"What time are you going to meet with that person for your job?" she asked.

"It's already over," he gestured towards the building. He put the car into reverse and pulled it out of his space. His eyes glowed dimly as it let him check his surroundings with better clarity than a mundane human's. "Picked up what I needed. Stradt found out we're not home and is pretty pissed. So to spite her, we're going to be hanging out here a bit longer. You fine with that?"

He drove out of the parking lot and onto the main road. He went in the opposite direction of Kevin. This early in the morning had no cars in sight. The sky was beginning to brighten up.

"You mean I don't have to go back on a plane soon?!" Lilian was beaming with relief. She reeled herself back quickly, "I-I mean… Yes, I would love that, beloved. Does this mean the two of us can go on a date?"

"…I suppose it would be called a date, wouldn't it?" he mused.

Lillian made a high-pitched noise in the back of her throat as she gushed around in her seat. Her eyes were sparkling as she ogled him with wonder. Her hands were between her thighs and squeezing at the edge of her seat. If her tails were out, he had the distinct feeling they would be wagging.

"Not sure what the town has to offer," he said while glancing outside the window on his side. This part had nothing but commercial warehouse buildings. The rest he passed since the airport composed of gas stations, fast food joints, houses and apartment complexes, and lots and lots of sand. It was starting to get warm as the sky was transitioning from purple to blue.

"As long as I'm with you, I'm more than happy," Lillian said and meant it with all her heart. This girl didn't pull her punches and didn't half-ass anything when it came to him.

"So if I suggest we go see the local stamp museum you'd be totally down?" he teased, pointing at an advertisement board placed on an empty lot of land.

Lilian's smile was frozen for a split second. "S-Sure. If that's what you really want to do, Chase. That sounds like… fun."

"Lil, I'm joking," he gave her a sideways glance.

There was a long and unnatural silence.

He pulled up to a stop sign. There were no cars around them so he let the car squat there as he faced her. "What? What's wrong?"

Her cheeks were glowing red and her eyes were watering. Her hands were covering her lips. Her voice was small but so full of bliss, "You… gave me a nickname."

He cocked a brow, "I… guess I did. Don't think too much on it. It was more of a slip of the tongue than—"

"I~ I~ I~~~" Lillian began to sing, lowering her hands so he could see the full-blow smile.

"What is this?" his scowl returned with a vengeance. "What are you—"

" _I'm hooked on a feeling~"_ she sang, bobbing her shoulders to a beat inside her head and pointing at him. _"I'm high on believing."_

"It was just a slip of—!"

 _"That you're in love with meeeeee!"_ she kept singing despite his protests.

He said nothing as he faced back towards the road. She didn't know the rest of the lyrics but repeated the main chorus a few more times. He drove and turned the radio louder to drown her out. She eventually stopped… but continued to stare at him with that damnable smile cemented on her face.

Despite how hard he was scowling, he couldn't ignore the warm feeling in his chest.

Fucking hell. He was starting to like this floozy, clingy, freeloading fox. Now he was going to have to deal with these conflicting emotions for the next few hours. How is a guy supposed to be angry and bitter at the world if he had something like this for company?!

The World was just unfair sometimes with how much it liked to screw him over.


	8. Chapter 8

The little diner they stopped at after the sunrise was packed. There was a long wait as she and her mate leaned against the wall for their turn to be seated. Chase said nothing as he held a folded newspaper in one hand and pretending to browse at an article. His sunglasses were still on and he used that to hide his glowing red and blue eyes as he watched everyone in the diner. Lilian left him to his thoughts while leaning against him.

Eventually, someone called for his name and they were escorted through a maze of tables until reaching their own. Menus were given to them and Chase ordered coffee for himself and juice for Lilian.

"And waters, please," Lilian said hurriedly while giving her mate a pointed look.

His eyes peered over the rim of his sunglasses before dropping back down to look at the menu. Their escort said she would be back with drinks and their actual waiter will be with them shortly.

"What are you going to do without me?" Lilian asked aloud as she gave a dramatic sigh. "You'd never drink water unless I made you, beloved."

"I've been doing fine this long," he muttered as he flipped over the menu, frowned, and placed it flat on the table. "Haven't died yet."

"Maybe, but I think you should take better care of yourself," she felt her lips curl at the corners. "All you drink is coffee and soda. Sometimes you go through the entire day without water when I'm not paying attention. It's really not healthy."

"I've been doing fine this long," he repeated. He stopped surveying his surroundings when she became upset with him. At least he had the sixth sense to pick up that. "If it bothers you that much, I'll pay more attention and drink water more often."

"…It only bothers me because you don't seem to care about your own health," she said softly.

A man in uniform came with a tray of beverages. He placed the mug of coffee, cup full of cream packs, orange juice, and two glasses of water. There were still other drinks in his tray, presumably other tables'. He then asked if they were ready to order.

"Oh, yeah, um…" Lilian picked up the menu and browsed through it quickly. She hadn't taken the chance to decide on anything.

"Three pancakes for me and a side of egg," Chase ordered. "Scrambled and sourdough toast."

"I'll have that too!" Lilian lowered her menu. "Can I also have a side of bacon too?"

Their waiter nodded, having memorized their order. He took their menus and tucked them under his arm while carrying the tray over to the next table. His handling suggested he had been doing this for a long time.

"Everything tastes better with bacon," her mate commented in a dry voice.

"I know, right?!"

He made a small noise in the back of his throat. Not really a snort or chortle but as close to it as he would dare. His scowl was still apparent, but Lilian had learned to distinguish the different levels of it. He would never smile like a normal person but she knew he was smiling in his own way. His expression had softened from 'fuck off' to 'would you kindly fuck off'.

The distinction mattered.

They said nothing for the time being. He continued to study his surroundings, watching the people mingle with their parties and walk around the diner. She spent her time studying him, elbows propped on the table and chin in her palms. He noticed (how could he not?) and continued his examination.

"What're you thinking about?" she eventually asked.

He went to reach for his coffee, hesitated, and then switched over to the water. The action made her smile widen. "A lot of things. You, the business back home, Stradt, and trying to figure out how many people in this room are mundane humans. There are a surprising amount of youkai. They take up a good third of the space here."

Her brows rose as she looked around. The diner wasn't as big as some of the others she had been to through her road trip across America. It could still fit at least two hundred people. She couldn't tell which person was human or youkai.

Some of them felt her staring and looked back at her. She instinctively looked away. Most dismissed her and went back to their business. Two separate parties kept staring. One in curiosity and the other tense.

Her mate didn't shirk away from their stares. He sipped on his water as he returned the favor. Whatever they found in him was more than enough to get them to return to their business.

"What about me are you thinking about?" she asked the most important part of his answer.

"A lot of things," he repeated his words and tone from earlier. He threw the glass back and drank the water in a few quick gulps until only ice remained. He placed the glass down and picked up his coffee. Not sipping on it but just holding it in his grip.

"What kind of things?" she pressed when he wasn't answering.

He didn't answer at first. She waited patiently as she gave him an expectant look. He caved, as he always would. "I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do with you."

She frowned at that, "What do you mean?"

"It means what it means," he said with more preparation in his voice. "We've spent a fair amount of time together. They say if you really want to get to know someone, start living with them. I've learned a bit about you but my point of view is mostly human. You're not human; you think and act different from us. You're putting in an effort to adapt and I appreciate that. But what I'm trying to say is…"

She waited on bated breath as he lowered his mug and slid it a little away from him. He kept his fingers along the rim of it as he stared at the black liquid. She saw him struggling for the right words.

"You're different," he chose to say. He leaned forward and stared at her. His eyes were brown as he peered over the ridge of his sunglasses. "I'm trying to think of you as I would for a human girl. That means dating, figuring out if it'll work, and then coming to a decision whether we want this to be a long-term thing. Tell me, Lil, what do you want?"

"I want to be with you," she said without hesitation. She had said this dozens of times before and meant it with all her heart every time. But was it enough? She had to clarify, "I decided to make you my mate. It means I want to always be at your side, to share our lives together, to have a bundle of kits together, and be there when… when I outlive you."

It was cruel for her first mate to be human. Kotohime mentioned most kitsune didn't choose to pair with humans until their third or fourth mate. And even then those kitsune stuck around until their human partner started to decline from their peak. Lilian, however, would stay with Chase until he was too old to take care of himself, be bedridden, and eventually die in bed. And she wouldn't age a day.

Still, she would be with him to the very end. And she would love him throughout it all.

"See that right there is what we humans call marriage," he said in a low voice. He paused as something flickered in his eyes. She almost missed it but couldn't describe what it was. "I know a few countries that will find what you want commonplace. I might have agreed with you if I grew up in one of those. But my standards are mostly American. And most Americans are afraid of marriage."

"Are you afraid of marriage, Chase?" she asked with a bit of hesitation. She was afraid of his answer and the possibility of him rejecting her because of it. But she swallowed those fears and pressed on. "Are you afraid of… being my mate?"

"I don't know you enough to be confident," he answered. "I'm young and pretty. A human at my age would have a few good years left in them before they start to deteriorate. I'm afraid that what we have right now is the best it's going to be. Now, I don't know any man who wouldn't want an eternally young wife. But what about you? Can you tell me for a fact you'll still love me like the way you do now if I was seventy-five and shitting in my pants?"

"Yes," she said before he could finish his question. "Yes I would. Through all the good and bad."

"Through all the bad," he muttered. It wasn't a question. He shook his head as his scowl returned to its natural position. "Just as I don't know about you and kitsunes, you don't know anything about me. You know nothing about Acolytes and Nightmares and the Observatory. You don't know what it means to be an Accuser in their eyes. Most importantly, you don't know what kind of person I really am."

There was a silence between them. He had explained the basic term of Acolytes to her after their trip to Santa Monica. She understood the gist of it. But, no, she didn't understand the implications of it all. She knew nothing about the organization that ruled over all Acolytes or what it meant for Chase to be against them. She only understood Chase was a human with special abilities.

"I understand… you're just like me," she said in a slow and steady voice. He cocked a brow and she continued. "Just like any youkai here. You keep saying you're human but you don't fully believe it yourself, do you? You have to keep hiding from them… from your own kind. You have to hide from the other Acolytes as well as regular humans. I know you don't tell me what you do when you go out, but I'm not an innocent maiden.

"I understood what kind of man you are when you killed those vampires for me. You might be human, but you think and act more like a youkai."

He went still. It wasn't out of shock or rage or any emotion she could see. And that was the thing— he had no emotion whatsoever. His expression remained exactly the same but there was no life in his eyes. His body had frozen like a statue. Not a single breath or blink came from him. Before worry started to creep up from her, life returned to him. He reached for his coffee and took a long sip. His eyes remained locked on hers while he was lost in thought.

"I won't lie," she continued. "When I met you… I was hoping for a more human relationship. The kind I've seen in the manga I've read. It was like that at first when we went out on dates, played games, and watched movies together. I don't think any of those were for pretend. But I think you had… more motives for doing those things. You were watching me just like how you're watching everyone in this room. You're expecting something bad to happen and want to be ready for it.

"It's strange. I find that a lot more comforting. It might not be the fantasy I've always wanted, but it's something I know I love a lot more. I feel like I don't have to pretend to be human in front of you. I can be my real self.

"I don't know what it means to be an Acolyte, or as an Accuser. But I'm willing to learn if you're willing to share. I want to understand you more, beloved. I want this to work and I want you to accept me when my two-week trial is up."

"…You have no idea what you're getting yourself involved in," he said in a toneless voice. It was more observation than jab.

"No," she smiled at him. "I don't."

Their conversation was put on hold as their food arrived. They sat up straight to let the waiter place their plates down onto the table. After a quick inquiry and refilling the coffee, he left to serve another table. Her beloved said nothing as he spread butter on his hotcakes and poured an even amount of strawberry syrup on each and every layer. She chose maple herself.

"This isn't a conversation to be had in a diner," her mate said after taking the first bite. "The mundane family behind me think we're weird while the youkai couple behind you are trying to politely ignore us."

Both mentioned parties visibly reacted in their own way. Lilian lowered her head. The two of them had been talking about the supernatural in a public area. She normally kept quiet about this but the topic had her so involved she forgot.

"The mundane do amazing things to ignore anything involved with us," he went on. "They won't take anything we say seriously. But we are talking about intimate things that're making everyone around us uncomfortable. We can continue this conversation after we eat."

"I understand," she said with a nod and dug into her food.

"We'll have plenty of time to talk," he said. "Most things don't open until ten and it's barely seven-thirty. I won't tell you everything about me. Not until I figure out what I'm going to do with you. But I can at least tell you about the past few years. Like how I met Stradt and Claudia. That much is common knowledge in LA anyways."

"I will listen and accept anything you tell me," she said with a beaming smile.

"Accept, huh…" he tapped his fork a few times on his plate. "I really wonder if you will…?"

"I will," she said in a firm voice. "I've decided to make you my mate. What kind of partner would I be if I can't accept you for who you are?"

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself involved in," he repeated the same words and lack of tone from before.

"Nope," she shot him a winning smile.

He shrugged and that was the end of the conversation. They ate together in silence. He went back to watching his surroundings while she went back to watching him.

0-0-0

Luna Mul was led by a human girl in a skimpy French maid outfit. The bachelor pad was placed on the top of one of Los Angeles' many skyscrapers and was fit with up to date technology and fashion. It impressed Luna and even convinced her to renovate her own mansion once this awful mess was over.

"Master Glenn," the maid sang with excitement. "Lady Luna of House Mul."

She had been led into a lounge with white sofas, crystalline ornaments and décor, and dark wooden flooring. It stank of wealth but had been organized with a peculiar layer of warmth. The place was welcoming and friendly as opposed to the cold detachment of business she was used to.

There were four young men present in the room. Two of them rose out of their seats while the other two remained behind the sofa. All of Luna's senses told her they were all human but… they had been involved in the affairs of the city long before Luna showed up.

They were the Hands of the city. Glenn, the Right Hand; and Darren, the Left Hand. Glenn was in charge of recording all supernatural affairs in the city while Darren was tasked with recording all mundane affairs. Those behind them were their bodyguards, Justin and Ichirou respectively.

"Miss Mul," Glenn approached and extended a hand. He had a thick Indian accent. "It's good to see you again. Jessica, beverages for our guests, please."

"At once Master Glenn," the maid gushed as if being given this task was her life's goal. She fled out of the room to fulfill his order. Luna pretended to not hear her girl squeal… along with a bunch of other female voices congratulating her.

"Glenn," Luna gave a respectful nod and a firm shake of his hand. She also regarded Darren but wouldn't shake his hand. Nor did the man offer. "Darren. Thank you for seeing me under short notice. I'm sure you remember my mate, Tearju Kumite."

Her loyal, three-tailed, white-haired mate nodded in greeting. She remained behind Luna and slightly off to the side.

More greetings were exchanged and Glenn offered a seat across of him. Darren had taken the edge of the sofa before Glenn had taken his own. Luna took the loveseat for herself while her mate remained standing close by.

The maid came back shortly and placed a tray of tea and sweets down on the glass table between them. She poured a cup for every one of them with handling Luna's first. She savored serving Glenn last and let her hand linger when their fingers touched. The girl was glowing in euphoria as she was dismissed.

Luna also politely pretended to not see the seven other maids peeping from the hallway.

"So what can we do for you?" Darren opened up with as he munched on a cookie. While Glenn's posture was relaxed but proper, Darren was nothing but relaxed. He slouched. "I figured you wanted to talk to Glenn but why ask for me as well? I'm not involved at all in you youkai."

"There are some things you might be able to assist me with, Darren," she spoke proper and with the acceptable amount of respect when dealing with business associates, as this _was_ a business transaction. "My sources told me the two of you were together at every major incident involved with Chase Rolan."

Their reactions were immediate and obvious. Darren had the face of someone who had been dumped with a large sum of work on his day off. Glenn's brows rose up high as his shoulders stiffened.

"Ah yes," Glenn spoke for the two of them. "We should have predicted this. He did assault your clan, after all."

She wasn't surprised Glenn knew about the attack she had taken great lengths to cover up. Word had yet to reach Kuroneko but word always reaches the Youkai Saint of Los Angeles. Nothing could be kept hidden from Right Hand Glenn, though. Something greater than Luna's understanding informed the two of these young men about everything within the city.

"How much do you want to know?" Darren asked. He leaned back in his seat and threw his arm over the armrest.

"Everything," Luna said intently.

"You can't afford _everything,_ " Darren smirked as if she told a joke. "How much are you willing to spend?"

"What the moose is trying to say is Mister Rolan is a very popular topic with a lot of demand for his secrets," Glenn leaned forward by an inch to overshadow his associate. "Some secrets are forbidden from us to share and some even we are forbidden to know. And given his position within the city, some information can be very sensitive. As you have declared war against him, we must first put the safety of the city over your interest."

"I only intend to deal with him and him alone," Luna responded curtly.

"And Lilian Pnéṿma is of no importance?" Glenn asked with a challenging look.

"None at all to my personal interest," Luna met that challenge with a look of her own. "The Pnéṿma girl is the interest of a private investor of mine. What happens to her is between her and my investor. I only wish to know about Chase Rolan."

"…Very well," Glenn said with a small sigh under his breath. "Our price is two million dollars."

Luna nearly lurched at the price. Was the price so high because of who it was demanding it or because of the topic itself? And was the price worth the investment?

"Tearju will forward you the money," Luna stated. Her mate tapped a few buttons on her smartphone before lowering it back into her pocket.

Justin pulled out his phone from his pocket, peeked at the screen, and then slipped it back inside. He nodded at Glenn.

"Darren, if you can start," Glenn said without having to look at Justin once.

"Alright," Darren sat up a little straighter but remained in a slightly lax position. "Rolan was born outside the city by a Barbara Cortez and Oswald Rolan. His parents were wedlocked they moved to Los Angeles when he was two. They divorced when he was ten. He attended Hollingsworth Elementary starting at kindergarten, Saint Margaret's in junior high, and is currently enrolled in Brother Andrew's for high school."

Luna nodded. It was needless information. Darren was keeping it vague in order to skip over it. She still listened intently and waited patiently for the information she needed.

"During his freshman year he committed suicide," Darren said next. And that was it. He said nothing else as he reached for his tea and took a long sip.

"You mean…" Luna's brows furrowed. "He _attempted_ suicide."

"No," Darren shrugged. "Rolan died that day. Slit his wrists and bled out in the upstairs bathtub if you want specifics."

"I don't understand," Luna scoffed. "If he died then who is the one who attacked my clansmen?"

"That is still Mister Rolan," Glenn spoke up. It was his turn now. "It is true he committed suicide and died. However, his body continues to move. The secret behind it eludes us."

"…I've never heard of an Acolyte capable of reviving themselves," she admitted. "I've heard there are immortals among their ranks, such as Jaeston Jaqueove and Luscious Melodic. As he is Progenitor Angelica's Grave Keeper, was it possible she revived him?"

"She did not," Glenn stated firmly. "I understand your confusion, just as we have been confused ourselves for some time. I will share with you what I have collected and you can come to your own conclusion."

"Please pardon my impatience," Luna dipped her head slightly. "Please, go on."

Glenn drank from his tea to clear his voice before setting it down on the table. "Chase Rolan was born a mundane, which is why I had Darren explain that part to you. Shortly after his suicide, he attacked an Observer's home and stole their eyes. He himself became an Acolyte— and thus an Accuser according to the Observatory.

"A young Coralynne Stradt approached him and asked for his assistance against the former Archmage of Quebec, Valdius lu Blanc. In order to match the skill and power of Lu Blanc, Mister Rolan made a pact with a Primeval Nightmare— the Shadow of Los Angeles Smog. He then intervened in a private duel between the newly acclaimed Archmage of Los Angeles and Lu Blanc. He killed the man with an anti-magic bullet but left his homunculus to live and tell the Magistrate what occurred."

"He also gave solitude to Saint Serene of Finland," Darren interrupted. "She went missing from the Church and he pulled several strings to keep her hidden. Which reminds me; he formed the Knights of Luna and gave command over to Archmage Stradt. They're a special order consisting of supernatural citizens, and the mundane within police and media positions."

"I'm aware of the Knights of Luna, yes," her tone was brisk. One of her subordinates had made a jab at the name to her. That, and the Knights had intercepted a few of her jobs a number of times in the past.

"A month later," Glenn shifted in his seat, "Progenitor Claudia des Angelica made contact with him for personal reasons. She was not aware of his stature until her position put her against Archmage Stradt. Be that as it may, she requested his help when the Duchess of the Vampire Courts came for Progenitor Angelica. The Duchess was dealt with and was forced to return to Progenitor Artus' side. Progenitor Angelica rewarded him by offering him the job of Grave Keeper without turning him into a thrall."

"There's also the College of Ilyvander," Darren spoke up. He shrugged, "He established the school around the same time. A lot of talking was involved and a few deaths among the hedge witches. There was a serious power struggle within the city when the leaders of specific groups didn't want to share their secrets with other gangs. Eventually investors stepped up and deals were made. And now we have a section of UCLA dedicated to magical studies."

"That's right," Glenn gave a single nod in gratitude towards his associate. He returned to Luna, "Within the same six months since his sudden… debut into the supernatural world, the Observatory had officially classified him as an Accuser and sent one of their Elite after him. Mister Rolan was critically wounded and lost a large sum of his accumulated power. However, with the support of the college, he had been able to make contact with the demon Leviathan and make a pact with the creature. He used its influence to defeat the Elite and ward off the Observatory for some time."

"Which Elite was it?" Luna asked. The Observatory was few in number but even the Church would be warry when dealing with them. Their Acolytes, while as physically weak as any other human, possessed powers that rivaled even the most exotic of youkai. Their Elite were worthy of their name. Still, there were different grades of elitism. If she could learn the name of the Elite she could research this one and compare him to Chase. Then she could gauge his threat level.

Glenn was silent as he reached for his tea and took a long purposeful sip. Even Darren gave him a sideways glance. When Luna was about to press the issue, Glenn's eyes locked on with hers. He placed the tea back down before sitting up straight.

"Kaname Shisharo," he said in a flat voice.

The mere mention of that name made her blood freeze. Every youkai worth a shred of influence knew that name. He made ripples within the youkai world as early as thirty years ago for having killed an extremely powerful youkai that had tried to raise an army and overthrow the human race. Years went and idiots tried to challenge him, only to be cut down with utmost brutality and swiftness.

The man was probably sixty when he killed one of the three kyuubi. Age hadn't weakened him. If anything, it only tempered his skill to new heights.

All youkai feared him for good reason. The man would go out of his way to kill any of their kind in the name of protecting the human race.

Yet, just a few years ago, he suddenly disappeared. No one had heard from him since.

"Is that a joke?" Luna's stare was as cold as the deepest pit of hell. Some of her youki slipped out and into the air. "Are you telling me this _boy_ killed Kaname Shisharo?"

"I am," Glenn answered, unaffected by the aura she was releasing.

"How?" her eyes narrowed.

"That is one such secret barred from us," Glenn lowered his head and shrugged with his hands. "The Leviathan created an area in which none of our powers could pierce through. He and Shisharo were sealed within and only Mister Rolan came out alive."

She said nothing as she contemplated his words. The Leviathan was a demon from the Judaic faith. It was a monster said to be only killable by the God of Abraham and sat upon one of Hell's thrones as the Prince of Envy. If such a creature had supported Chase… then _maybe_ it was possible he could have defeated Kaname Shisharo.

Maybe, just maybe, Kaname's undoing was sheer arrogance? He came to challenge a boy where he had always fought against overwhelming monstrosities. He underestimated Chase and that was his downfall. Where a youkai that was on par with a god had failed, another Acolyte had succeeded. Perhaps Chase knew of a way to kill other Acolytes better than Kaname Shisharo?

Putting aside the how, Chase Rolan was proving to be a most irksome cockroach to crush. Supposing she did, would she also have to deal with a divine being such as the Leviathan? Would the thing even care if Chase was quelled? Or would it seek vengeance upon Luna?

"What else can you tell me?" she pushed her thoughts aside and regarded the Hands.

"That is all the information you can afford," Glenn said in a simple tone. Darren shrugged.

"That can't be all," she openly scowled at them. "Kaname Shisharo went missing at least three years ago. Chase Rolan would have had more than enough time to grow in power. I have more money, gentlemen. I must know what I am dealing with. Name your price."

"Money's nice and all but…" Darren said as he looked around the room. "Not everything can be paid for with cash."

"Then a favor, perhaps?" Luna inquired. She arched her back while placing a hand on her chest and giving them both a seductive smile. "Perhaps something only I can offer you?"

"Uh…" Darren's eyes almost lowered to her bosom before snapping back up. He elbowed Glenn in the ribs, who remained stoic by her offer.

"I'm sorry," Glenn shook his head. "We appreciate the offer but our prices are set and nonnegotiable. There is nothing you have that can be traded for the rest that we have. However… it's not against the rules if we offer you a warning. In the name of the safety for the city, of course."

"…Of course," Luna said as she leaned back in her seat and crossed her leg. All four men noticed. Glenn was the only one polite enough to pretend otherwise. Justin openly whistled in appreciation.

"You will never be able to defeat Mister Rolan," Glenn said next. "Greater things across the globe have come for him and he has proven himself to be resilient. I must say his sheer stubbornness to not die is strong enough to defy fate itself. His influence in the city is also something to consider. Suppose you _do_ defeat Mister Rolan, Miss Mul. What is to stop Archmage Stradt from avenging him? Or Progenitor Angelica from doing the same despite giving you her blessing?"

"…Thank you, Glenn, Darren," Luna said curtly as she stood. "If that is all you can provide for me then I will excuse myself."

Glenn gave a slight bow while Darren waved his hand. She bowed with respect at the two of them before turning sharply and heading out the way she came. The elevator was waiting for her with another slutty maid holding it open for her. The door shut, Tearju clicked the garage floor, and they stood together in silence.

Luna spoke once they were within the concrete compound, "Forward everything we learned today to the butler."

"Yes, Lady Luna," Tearju said as she walked beside her mate. They approached a silver Porsche and she slipped into the passenger seat, knowing Luna loved to drive to vent her frustrations. "Should I also send the Left Hand's word of caution?"

"No," Luna said as she brought the car to life. "He's to be our guinea pig since he seems so keen on fighting the boy himself. If there is a lick of truth to what Glenn said, I want to know. In fact… tell him a different Elite came after the boy. If he can stand up to a five-tailed kitsune like that butler, I want to know how."

Considering Luna was only had one tail more than the butler, Glenn's warning might hold some merit if the boy prevailed. But if it was a farce and Glenn was only paranoid, then nothing would change. The boy would be killed and Jiāoào would have Lilian Pnéṿma. If anything, Luna would come out on top. The Bodhisattva would reward her and she could use them as an excuse for the boy's death and avoid any retaliation from the queens.

But on the small chance Chase Rolan _could_ kill a five-tailed kitsune, she wanted to be ready.

0-0-0

Kevin Swift let out a long sigh as he sat in one of the chairs outside the dressing room. It was barely after the mall's opening hours and it felt like he had just run a marathon. First he was smothered by Lindsay's mom, then got his ear chewed out by Christine for reasons he couldn't understand, and then she and Lindsay dragged him into the newest clothing store. They were currently trying things on while he waited for them to finish.

He was trying his hardest to not imagine them stripping down to their underwear. Nor was he going to imagine them sharing a booth and comparing breast sizes. He wouldn't do that. He wasn't Eric.

"Hey, Lil, I only brought five thousand with me," a masculine voice said nearby. The amount of money mentioned got Kevin's attention, as well as all the nearby clerks. "We need some of that to get home so don't go too crazy."

"I'm only going to try a few things on," a much lighter and definitely female voice responded. "Plus it'll be kinda hard to carry it all with us. I'll only pick out the ones you really like."

Kevin saw a couple walking towards the changing room station. He gawked as a gorgeous bombshell his age carried a few bundles of clothes in her arms. She put supermodels to shame with her perfect hourglass figure. She also had no shame in showing off her figure by wearing scantily clad attire that made him blush and look elsewhere.

The guy at her side was a complete contrast to her. He was short, hardly any taller than the dollish Christine, but he was fit with lean and useful muscle. He was dressed in all black and even wore sunglasses in the shop. Though he was as average looking as Kevin, the deep scowl he wore made him unappealing. Kevin couldn't see what the girl saw in him.

"Don't you want to come in with me?" the girl gave her boyfriend a wink and a saucy smile.

The nearby clerk responsible for managing the changing room gave a cough.

"Surprise me," the guy said before taking a spot two seats away from Kevin.

The girl gave a disappointed look before shuffling into the room and out of sight.

"You waiting for your girlfriend?"

Kevin blinked as he realized the guy was talking to him. At the idea of Lindsay or Christine being his girlfriend almost made him fall out of his seat. "O-Oh, uh, no. No! T-They're not my… They're just friends."

The guy's brows rose as he gave a long and judgmental stare through those lenses. "If you say so. That cat cause you any problems yet?"

"…Cat?" Kevin tilted his head in confusion.

"The one from this morning," he returned with a single shoulder shrug.

Kevin's brows furrowed in thought. He _did_ find a cat near the newspaper print this morning and brought it home with him. But how did this complete stranger know about that?

"Oh," Kevin came to his own conclusion. "Was the kid I was talking to your younger brother or something?"

"No, that was me."

Kevin blinked and looked at the guy again, studying his face. "I was sure you looked a lot younger before."

Something deep rumbled in the back of his throat. It wasn't a laugh nor was it a snort. But there was something humorous. "It was early in the morning and you hardly paid attention to me. All you cared about was that cat. You looked at me maybe once."

Kevin tried to remember that instance. He was _sure_ the kid earlier was a year or two younger than him. The height seemed similar, if not by a few inches off. The guy sitting next to him was just too similar to the kid he met earlier. He was sure they were two different people though. Kevin couldn't disprove it and so had no choice but to accept it.

"Sorry if I didn't recognize you," he scratched the back of his head.

"If you're sorry then maybe you can help me out," the guy leaned back and crossed his arms. "I'm from out of town and don't know anything locally. Recommend anything fun to do around here?"

"Ah… well…" Kevin lowered his head and tapped his chin in thought. "The mall here is the biggest thing. There's a food court, movie theatre, bowling alley, and arcade. There's the park near the school, a laser tag arena within the shopping district, and a karaoke club across of it."

"And evidently a stamp museum," the same rumbling sound from before reverberated once from his throat.

"Y-Yeah…" Kevin felt embarrassed for his own town. He had gone there once for a field trip and was bored out of his mind. It was one of the town's biggest tourist attractions, though. It's sad when a stamp museum was the town's pride and joy.

"Kevin~" a sweet voice called out to him from the changing room doorway. "What do you think?"

Lindsay Diane wore a cute spaghetti strap and thigh shorts that really complimented her athletic physique. She was a girl his age with sunkissed skin, short dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes. The term tomboy always came to mind around her but Lindsay pulled the look off in such a way it made her seem more feminine than most girls. There was no denying Lindsay was one of the prettier girls at his school.

"L-L-Lindsay I said I wasn't ready!" shouted a more high-pitched voice.

Being dragged out into the open by Lindsay was Christine Frauste. She was a tiny girl who claimed to at least be five feet with long black hair, fair skin, and icy blue eyes. She was just as pretty as Lindsay but in a different way. While Lindsay had some boyish charm to her, Christine's beauty seemed more liken to a porcelain doll. Right now she was fretting over the new clothes Lindsay forced her into; her face as blushing blue.

Christine was wearing a blouse and… miniskirt. He had never seen her creamy legs before until today.

He wanted to tell them how wonderful they looked. He wanted to follow every piece of advice his mom had drilled into him about complimenting a girl's looks. He really did.

"Blrgh flym nghfrl!"

He was reduced to a blushing mess while biting his tongue. He couldn't even look at them in the eye as he gripped the edge of his seat and faced the other way.

"I… I think he likes it?" Lindsay's voice was shaky and uncertain. Her laugh used to lighten the mood was an attempt failed.

"Kevin you… jerk!" Christine stomped her foot down. "You could at least look and— N-No. I-It's not like I wore this just for you! Jerk!"

"Excuse me, excuse me, coming through. Beloved~"

Everyone's attention went towards the red-headed girl stepping out of the changing room. That included the guy sitting next to him who had been politely minding his own business. Kevin's jaw could not have hit the floor any harder.

The guy's girlfriend was dressed in a white one-piece dress that hug tightly to her figure so much so she may as well be naked. It cut deep into her cleavage and her breasts were being held up by a single blue ribbon. She gave a cheeky grin and flashed a double-peace sign.

Somewhere through the searing furnace that was Kevin's face, his overloading mind still had enough processing power to tell him something. Wasn't this dress—

"What is that?" the guy asked as he cocked his head to the side. "Is this an actual thing?"

"It's Hestia's outfit!"

"I _very_ highly doubt the goddess of the hearth and home would wear something like that."

"I don't know about the actual goddess but this one is from an anime."

"Of course it is."

"Come on~ Tell me what you think!"

There was a moment of contemplation as the guy gave her a good look up and down. It wasn't ogling like how some of the men here were doing. It was more out of critique. It was the look Kevin's mother would have on those rare moments she took her job as a fashion designer seriously.

"I feel like the ribbon alone deserves its own anime."

"So you like it?"

"I _did_ tell you to surprise me."

"You like it?!"

"I didn't say that."

"You like it!"

The guy sighed before gesturing with one hand around him. "Regardless of what I think, you're overshadowing a very special moment between this young man and his dates. These girls tried really hard to impress him and you've left him unresponsive."

"D-D-Date?!" Christine shrieked. "W-W-Who would want to date someone like him?! I'm not on a date with him!"

The back of Kevin's mind was telling him the guy was waving a hand across his face and snapping his fingers at him. But Kevin couldn't fully register it. The blush was so strong it had melted his brain. The backup processor was telling him Lindsay was giving the girl envious looks while Christine was giving both him and her hateful glares.

"Oh," the girl said suddenly as she took in the scene. "Oh! I'm so sorry! Please pretend I was never here."

"I'm going to walk around the shop," the guy said to her. "Find me when you're done trying things on."

While the girl slipped back into the dressing room, the guy stood up but paused. He glanced down at Kevin, looked away, breathed out in agitation as if he were about to do something tiresome, and then looked back at Kevin.

His voice dropped so low Kevin shouldn't have been able to hear him. But it was so clear the guy could have been talking right beside his ear, "I strongly suggest you be honest."

Kevin could have sworn he saw a flash of red and blue. But when he blinked, it was gone and the guy was moving deeper into the store.

"So…" Lindsay scratched at her cheek as her eyes lost the light within them. "That just happened. I've never seen Kevin respond like that before. Heh. Heh heh heh…"

A really dark and angry cloud hovered over Christine as she grumbled something about a fox beneath her breath while repeatedly patting her chest.

"Hey, uh, Lindsay? Christine?"

Both girls looked at him.

Kevin stared back at them… for as long as he could anyways. His face burned and his nerves were getting the better of him. His heart hammered a thousand times a minute as a deep fear clutched at his throat. It threatened to silence the words he wanted to say.

"I… think… you both look… great."

Yet the words came out, almost against his will. Despite the fear and nerves at saying something that might potentially ruin their friendship and leave him alone in the mall— no, alone for the rest of his high school life— he had said the words he wanted to say as soon as he saw them. He only hoped they wouldn't hate him and thought he was some pig like Eric.

"S-Stupid," Christine grumbled as she crossed her arms and twisted her head around so he couldn't see her face. "I-I-I don't need your compliment. I didn't wear this for you, you know. Don't think otherwise!"

The air turned so cold he could see his own breath. That's just the way things became when Christine blushed. He didn't understand her when she acted like this but said those things.

"I…" Lindsay also had trouble looking at him. She kept her head low so her bangs covered her eyes. "I think I'll buy this outfit. I'll be right back."

"Lindsay, wait!"

After that, the two girls ran back into the changing room. Kevin let out another sigh as he leaned back in his seat until his head hit the wall. He pointedly ignored the smirking clerk who had watched everything from the beginning. He also ignored the red haired girl who passed him by and wished him luck. He was too busy trying to understand girls.

"What are you doing sulking there?" Christine asked when the two of them returned with a bundle of clothes each. Christine was back in her gothic Lolita dress while Lindsay wore a plain shirt and cut jeans.

"I-I'm not sulking…" he sputtered and rose out of his seat. He looked at them, opened his mouth to speak, but then quickly looked away. The floor was easier to talk to. "Are you two ready?"

"Yeah we've both decided to buy what we tried on," Lindsay answered with a smile.

"Even Christine?" he blinked and looked at the smaller girl. "But the only thing I've ever seen you wear are gothic dresses."

"I can wear regular clothes like everyone else!" Christine barked back.

"R-Right, right," Kevin put up his hands at her sharp tone. "Sorry. L-Let's go get in line."

He turned around and headed towards the registers. Lindsay muttered something quietly to Christine but it wasn't any of his business. He knew they were both looking at him but would rather not call them out on it. Today was supposed to be a day they all hung out. He didn't want to ruin anything.

Strangely, they got in line right behind the same couple from before. There were a few people a head of them and it seemed like the line wasn't moving at all.

"Why is there always only one cashier when it's busy?" the guy asked aloud, uncaring at all that any of the other clerks heard him.

"I know, right?" Lindsay agreed… albeit in a much softer and quieter voice.

Christine only dared to nod.

The guy turned his head to acknowledge Lindsay's comment before facing back forward. Yet, Kevin had the distinct feeling he was also giving Christine the same regard as if he had sensed her head nodding.

The waiting situation didn't improve. Those working the shop were probably doing it on purpose due to the guy's loud remark. It took ten minutes for them to move forward _once_. By then everyone's patience started to melt. The red-haired girl started to browse at some of the accessories purposely stationed along the waiting line. Christine was eyeing them too but wouldn't move out of place.

"So there's an arcade in this mall?" the guy ahead of him suddenly asked.

Kevin snapped out of his boring thoughts when he realized the man turned halfway to regard him again. "Oh, uh, yeah. Second floor. Just go right when you leave the shop until you hit the escalators."

"How good are the games?"

"Depends on what you like," Kevin shrugged. "It's got _Nascar Speedway,_ the first three _House of the Dead,_ air hockey, a bunch of retro games, and a few ticket games."

"I like how you only named two," the guy shifted his balance onto his right leg.

Kevin scratched his cheek, "W-Well… those two _are_ my favorite."

"Hmm. It looks like everything worked out between you and your _friends_."

Kevin scowled as a blush creeped up his face again, "T-They're just friends. But, yeah, I guess. I mean, if they were going to buy those clothes anyways why ask for my opinion?"

The guy cocked a brow, "Really?"

"Really."

"…I could not have been this dense when… Right. So which one _are_ you dating then?"

"D-Date?" Kevin gasped. "I-I'm not dating either of them! We're not like that!"

"But you _want_ to date one of them. Like, maybe, a certain blonde?"

Kevin nearly choked on his own tongue.

"It's none of my business," the guy shrugged as the line moved another step and a half forward. "You do you and good luck."

Kevin looked from the guy over to the girl who accompanied him. Right now, she was mingling with Lindsay and Christine over the accessories. They spoke in hushed tones and Lindsay caught his eye for a brief instance. He immediately looked away.

"Hey, uh, guy?" Kevin realized he never learned his name. He nearly slapped himself for addressing him as _guy_.

"Sup?" he responded in such a way Kevin could have sworn he was expecting it.

He wasn't sure what to ask exactly. He had something vague in his head but didn't know how to word it. He wanted to know _how_ to get a girl. Really, somehow in some way this guy had managed to score with a complete babe like the read-head. There must be some sort of secret that the guy knew and Kevin wanted to know too. But could he ask this from a complete stranger? It felt too personal and intruding.

"I… Nothing. It's nothing," Kevin eventually said.

"Suit yourself but I have something to say. You might want to be ready for trouble."

"…Like with the cat?"

"Worse," the guy turned back around and nudged his thumb over at the girls huddled close together. They weren't even talking about the accessories anymore. It looked more like they were holding a strategy meeting. "Yours and mine are talking together. They're becoming organized. Your girls will probably give mine an idea or two and vice versa. I thought to let you know… because some of the things out of Lilian's head can be…"

He let the words trail off. He leaned over to tap onto the girl's— Lilian's shoulder. Her head perked up and he gestured to the registers. It was their turn next. The two of them hurried to the counter.

Kevin wasn't sure what Lilian had said to his friends. But Christine's face was completely blue and she was shaking where she stood. And Lindsay had a light pink in her cheeks as she was looking at Kevin. He noticed and looked away, feeling the rush of warm rise up his neck too. Normally Lindsay would look away as well but he felt her stare linger.

Not a word was exchanged as the girls made their purchases and headed for the exit. Kevin insisted on carrying their bags. Lindsay and Christine protested a little but he wouldn't take no for an answer.

When they stepped out, Lilian and her boyfriend were waiting for them. Lilian had a large smile across her face while the guy had a slightly more prominent scowl than before.

"Right, so…" it was Lindsay who stepped up to address both parties. "This is Lilian and she and her… boyfriend—"

"Mate," Lilian corrected.

"More of a candidate, really," the guy added his two cents.

"R-Right…" Lindsay's smile faltered for a moment. "Mate-candidate? Anyways, they're not from around here and were wondering what there was to do. They both seem nice and thought it would be great if they hung out with us. What do you think, Kevin?"

She was asking for his opinion specifically? What about Christine? When he looked, Christine was waiting for an answer. Was this what the three girls were discussing in their football huddle?

"Lil…" the guy dragged his voice out. "I don't think that's a good idea. We'll be imposing on their date. No one likes a third-wheel."

"Why do you keep thinking I'm on a date with him?!" Christine blurted out as she pointed her finger at Kevin. "I-I-It's not like I like him or anything!"

"B-Beloved," Lilian grabbed her… mate-candidate by the arm and tried to shake him. He was as unmovable as a statue. "A _tsundere_. A real grade-A _tsundere_. She's a better cut than you are!"

"I am not a _tsundere!_ " Christine argued.

"…I finally understand what that is now," the guy muttered as his brows fell into a flat line. "Lilian, I meant it. We don't know them. It's rude to invite ourselves."

"It's fine with us," Lindsay assured with a friendly smile. "Right, Kevin?"

Kevin shrugged, "I really don't mind. It might be fun making new friends. But are _you_ okay with this?"

He was asking the guy specifically. He didn't look too happy about it. But then again… Kevin never had the impression the guy was a happy person to begin with.

He eventually sighed and responded, "Lil, this plan of yours is wrong in so many ways. But, alright. I'll play along. Operation Soccer Snow Fox is a go."

"You heard that?!" Lindsay gasped.

"Every word," he stared directly at Lindsay through those sunglasses. He raised a finger, "For the record, I'm not getting involved with the garter belt idea."

"T-T-That slutty fox gave us that idea and we rejected it!" Christine snapped with her face turning a new shade of blue he hadn't seen before.

"It was the most vanilla thing I could think of…" Lilian pouted at Christine. "I can only lower the bar so much. How else are you going to unlock that secret ending?"

Kevin wasn't sure whether he wanted to know or not. Better to play it safe and pretend he didn't hear anything.

"…Arcade, anyone?" the guy offered while there was a lull in their conversing.

"Y-Yeah, that sounds like fun," Lindsay snapped back to reality as she pointed in the right direction. "It's this way. We'll show you."

The girls started to walk off. Lilian lingered around the guy's presence and the two exchanged a look. She saw something and decided to walk beside Lindsay. Christine gave Kevin the same look but didn't know telepathy like the guy. She must have heard something because she too walked beside Lindsay.

"I'm sorry about Lilian," the guy said as he began to walk with Kevin. The two of them walked a few paces behind the girls.

"What do you mean?" Kevin looked at him with honest confusion.

"I was under the impression you were looking forward to today," he answered. "Least I would have. So instead of having a date with both your crushes you have to put up with a pair of strangers."

"I… I don't…"

"Save it," he snapped, this time with annoyance. "It's as clear as day you like the both of them. Lindsay more than Christine. I'm not sure if you know how much exactly you like Christine but even vegetable about to get its plug pulled can tell you've got it bad for Lindsay. Look, I'm going to try to stay out of your way. I might even be able to get Lilian distracted enough for you to guys to slip away."

Kevin stared at the guy long and hard. Out of everything he heard… "How do you know their names?"

More annoyance flashed through him. "I heard everything they said back in the shop. And no, I'm not going to share with you what they talked about. Just… I'm sorry we're getting in your way."

Kevin wanted to argue against it but the guy had already made it clear he knew he was crushing hard on Lindsay. As for Christine? Kevin wasn't sure about that but he couldn't fully deny it. There was a time when all he thought about was Lindsay, Lindsay, Lindsay. But lately? Lately it was a Lindsay, Christine, Lindsay pattern.

Had it started when he ran into Christine at a manga shop? Or was it when she saved him from a youkai attack?

"It's fine," Kevin decided to tell the guy something. The guy. Kevin frowned at having to repeatedly say that. "Hey. What's your name? I'm Kevin."

"Chase," the guy— Chase responded right away. His tone was also lighter. Not friendly per se but definitely no longer annoyed.

"You know, I was worrying all this morning about how I was going to keep Lindsay and Christine entertained," Kevin admitted. "But I'm glad we all met. Lilian seems to be getting along with them. Today might work out great! I mean, what's the worst that can happen?"

Chase stopped walking. Kevin didn't catch it until a few steps later. He turned to see what was keeping the other young man behind. Something cold swept up Kevin's spine as Chase stared at him with eyes as sharp as a dagger.

"You damn fool. You just doomed us both."


	9. Chapter 9

**A note!**

So ToS is 4200 words done by the time I hit a wall. I decided to work on this until I get my groove back. Turns out I can pump 14k words in a single sitting. I haven't done that since I updated BR on a regular basis. Anyone remember those days?

I got sucked into the tug of war that is the American Kitsune series. A new book came out not too long ago and I love and want to murder it at the same time. See, I love the characters and the lore behind the screen... it's just the writing I loath. The scenes are so... cringy. I have to put the book down and mentally prepare myself for what comes next. Varnell has very, very, _very_ good characters that I love. But he uses them for slapstick comedies so much it breaks the groove. Honestly, I feel embarrassed for loving this series, but here I am writing fanfiction for it!

Someone will love you one day, Iris. One day.

Well. Here's the next chapter of this at least. We're still in Arizona and we're delving into Kevin's side of mayhem. Kevin, you know the actual protagonist of the story? Things should be resolved by next chapter and we go back to LA to focus on Chase's problems.

As always, enjoy. And thanks for reading.

On with the show!

* * *

"Alright Special-Agent Pnéṿma, report. What're we working with?"

" _Hai,_ Rolan-sosui," Lillian saluted when her mate pulled her aside and asked bluntly. While he had been sarcastic in his inquiry, she took her job seriously. "My investigation has led me to believe both Christine and Lindsay have feelings for Kevin. The more I press the more _tsun-tsun_ Christine gets. Lindsay's reactions are less obvious."

Her mate had a troubled expression that started as soon as she addressed him in his honorary title. She couldn't understand it. Regardless, he looked over his shoulder to gaze at the teenagers figuring out the machine to buy their game credits. While Kevin was feeding money into the machine and pressing buttons, Lindsay was helping him and unconsciously pressing herself against his shoulder. Kevin noticed and became a blushing, sputtering, twitching mess. Christine also noticed and scowled at the two of them. She told them to 'hurry the hell up' while sulking in the background.

Chase went back to his own machine and purchased two game cards for he and Lillian. He handed one over to her. "And Kevin likes them both, though Lindsay more than Christine."

"I don't know if they'll be willing to go through the harem route," she commented as she took her card. "Thank you, beloved."

"Most humans in the modern age aren't," he commented back. "Contrary to popular belief, but men don't actually want a harem. It's a nice dream and all but most social customs have beaten the belief we need to settle down with one significant other. Dating multiple girls is heavily frowned upon and Kevin doesn't seem to be a douche."

She frowned with concern, "So what do we do?"

"Let them sort it out for themselves," was his fair answer. He must have seen something in her expression because he continued to speak after a pause. "It's for them to decide if they want to get in a relationship like that. If you push too hard you might do more harm than good."

She flicked the card against her wrist a couple of times while mulling this over. Why couldn't people be more open to the harem route? It was accepted and rather common among the Youkai community. In fact, she was 90% sure Christine herself was a Youkai. Faces don't blush blue. And if she wasn't a Youkai, she definitely wasn't human either.

The arcade the Arizona group took them to was a large, dark, and very loud area. There were machines lining up and down the large room in a maze with monitors and contraptions within them. Bright lights flashed in different colors, the place was dark with dim lights hanging over and neon signs, and the ceiling and walls were painted black. Music played over their heads but was mostly buffed out by the ringing and whining of the other machines.

They were probably the only group within the arcade. The mall had been rather scarce since it was still at its earliest opening hour. People started to come into the building as they walked through but the arcade was pretty empty. People preferred to shop in a place of shopping. Who'da thunk?

"You guys ready?" Kevin approached them. His face was still red and he stared directly at Chase in an attempt to avoid Lindsay.

Even in the dim lighting her beloved kept his sunglasses on. He regarded Kevin in his unique version of a friendly tone… which was basically him being completely passive. "I think we got what we need. What about you? Sure you can afford getting schooled ten times at Mario Kart?"

Kevin's eyes flashed with intensity. His lips curled up in a challenging smile. "It's on. I'm going to make you eat your own words, Chase."

"That before or after you eat my digital dust?" Chase retorted with a noise escaping the back of his throat. It was his version of a laugh. He turned and gestured for Kevin to follow, who complied with his chest puffed out as if they were about to get into a street brawl.

"Boys," Christine sighed. "Does everything have to be a contest to them?"

An idea surged through Lillian. Coincidentally, or perhaps because of activating the Idea Bulb trope, one of the lights above her head flashed a little brighter than usual. She had a coy smile as she called out to the boys, "Whoever wins earns a kiss!"

Kevin tripped over his own feet. He tried to reach for Chase's shoulder to catch himself but her beloved turned at the most inconvenient time to look at Lillian. Kevin ended up eating sticky carpeting.

"K-K-K-K-Kiss?!" Christine flushed like a blueberry. She stomped a foot down, creating a small gust of chilling air that made Lillian shiver. "W-Wha?! Why?! W-W-W-Why would I give a kiss to K-K-K-Kevin if he wins!"

Lillian continued to smirk and hid it behind her hand. They all knew she was smiling at the little _tsundere._ She only did it to egg her on. "Who said anything about _you_ kissing him?"

Christine was rendered a gaping, blue fish.

"I mean if you're fine with it," Lillian shrugged and went in for another blow, "I can give him a kiss. That's assuming, of course, he even stands a chance against my beloved."

"H-Hey," Kevin spoke very timidly, very shakily, and very quietly. "Hold on. I don't think…"

"Sure," Chase said with a casual shrug of his own. "It'll make things a little more interesting. What do you say, Kevin? Winner gets a kiss from a beautiful girl?"

Lillian preened at the compliment.

"I… uh…" Kevin looked between Lillian and the two girls in his company. He looked so lost Lillian actually felt kinda bad. But come on! He needed to grow a spine! She didn't like being mean like this but she wanted to see _some_ progress between him and the two girls.

"It's… just a kiss," Lindsay spoke up. Her face was scarlet as she looked away, holding herself with an arm around her waist and clutching at her other elbow. She kicked at the ground a few times. "O-On the cheek. I'm okay with that much."

Kevin looked like Golden Week had just come early. Surprise became astonishment. Astonishment became determination. He put a fist to his chest and glared daggers at Chase. A fire burned in his eyes.

"Lindsay!" Christine gasped.

"I-It's just one kiss," Lindsay tried to assure her friend with a flaky smile.

A few short seconds later and the two boys were sitting in a pair of seats. There was a screen in front of them with driver's wheels directly below and pedals on the floor. A stick lay at their right with numbers attached, similar to her beloved's Corvette. After an adjustment to their seating and their cards swiped, they chose their characters and discussed last minute rules.

"All items, random track, 150cc," her mate answered. "All if fair in the art of love and war."

Kevin clutched against the steering wheel so tight his knuckles were turning white. He chose automatic while her beloved chose manual transmission. While they were the only two people using this console that could fit up to eight people, there were computer characters in the game to get in their way. The track was chosen and their characters lined up at 7th and 8th place respectively.

Her beloved revved the engine a few times. Kevin looked at him in the corner of his eyes and tried to mimic him too. But when the lights turned green, Chase received a boost at his acceleration while Kevin's kart sputtered in place.

"Go beloved!" Lillian cheered him on from directly behind the driver's seat. Her hands clutched against the sides as she peered over his shoulder to look at the screen. His character, a little person with some polka-dot round hat, drove through a road made out of rainbows in space.

"Come on, Kevin!" Christine cheered on his direct left. She was small enough to squeeze between the aisles of the machines and not get in his way. "I-I-I mean it's not like I care if you win or anything! Just don't look so bad, got it?"

Normally Kevin would be deterred by her words, but his eyes were on the prize. He recovered quickly and drove through the course. He crashed through some box with a ? on it. A symbol appeared in the corner of his screen. His eyes flicked up to it and his smile broadened. He pushed a button on his steering wheel.

He passed by her mate after getting a boost that was much better than when he took off at the starting line.

"Ehhhhh?!" Lillian gasped. "Beloved he's beating you! Do something!"

Kevin continued to fly forward, ducking and weaving through traffic. He picked up more boxes that gave him different items. Some were turtle shells that knocked the opposition out of the way while others were mushroom like that gave him a boost. Eventually he managed to get to second place while her beloved was only in fifth.

"Oh God what did I sign up for?" Lindsay had her face in her hands as she looked away. They were already halfway done with the course and Kevin was going to be the clear winner. She was going to have to kiss Kevin and was realizing it. Every inch of her skin above her neck was burning red.

"Know what's best about Mario Kart?" her beloved said as he hit the break at the last second, right before running into one of the boxes. Another car drove past him. Lillian's heart was about to break but her beloved was full of confidence. "You can get the best shit when you're losing badly."

Only then did he drive forward. The item box in the corner rolled around like a slot machine until it popped out his new item. He didn't use it immediately as he kept driving. It wasn't until there was another set of boxes did he hit the button.

His character transformed into a living missile. He zipped through the course on auto-pilot, crashing into other characters and knocking them off the road. At the same time, when he used his item he crashed into another box to give him another item. The roulette finished and it gave him three sets of red tortoise shells.

He pressed the button and three red shells started to circle around him. He used one to knock a computer out of his way and came up close behind Kevin. She thought he was going to hit him. But instead he kept going, drifting along the tight turns and gaining ground until they were parallel with each other. Kevin's eyes widened as he knew what was going try to do. He tried to get his car out of the way but her beloved moved in closer to his side.

The rotating shells did a full cycle before bumping into Kevin's kart. His character hopped around like popcorn… and then falling off the edge of the road.

"That's cheating!" Christine shouted. "I call foul!"

"All is fair in the art of love and war," Chase said to her in the same tone he told Kevin earlier. "Your boyfriend agreed to it."

"HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND!"

Lindsay had a mixed expression between relieved and disappointed.

By the time Kevin's character was lifted and dropped back onto the road, Chase had gained a hefty advantage. Though Kevin gained a few items that got closed the gap, they were rendered useless when Chase crossed over the finish line. He had won the race.

Lillian leapt up into the air with a loud whooping cheer. She circled around and threw her arms around his neck. She didn't kiss him just yet. "Beloved, that was amazing. You know you almost had me worried."

"Yeah, well, maybe I decided I wanted that kiss after all," he muttered back without looking at her.

She giggled at how adorable he was when he got like this. It made her want to crush his face against her bosom and never let go.

"Hold on," Kevin spoke up sharply. "I want a rematch."

Lindsay looked like she was going to have a heart attack.

"Yeah, you cheated!" Christine jabbed a finger his way.

"It's not that," Kevin defended him with a shake of his head. His eyes squared with Chase's. "Best two out of three. I want to see who's really the best driver."

"It's a poor game to have a contest of skill," Chase said with a hum. "But alright. I'm game. Same rules?"

"Yeah," Kevin said with a toothy grin and a firm nod.

Lillian slipped off of Chase. The boys paid for another session and chose the same characters and details. A new map was randomly chosen- this one a castle sitting on a lava lake. In less than a minute, they were back in the game. However, Chase's character was in first while Kevin's was positioned in fifth. Chase had a temporary advantage.

"Come on, Kevin," Christine was leaning close to the boy while glaring at the screen. "Don't let that cheat win!"

"You can do it, Kevin!" Lindsay must have some sort of inner monologue with herself because she slapped her cheeks and forced those words out. She glared at the screen too.

"Beloved, draw some blood!" Lillian threw a fist into the air. It at least got her a single chortle from him.

The two drove off, this time with Kevin learning how to boost at the start of the race. They swerved through traffic, avoided obstacles, and exchanged blow for blow with items at another. Instead of it being one straight course, they had to take three laps around the castle. Luck turned towards Kevin as he used an item to hit Chase. It was Kevin's victory this time.

Kevin breathed out as though he had just fought against the Devil and had somehow managed to win. His cheerleaders gave a high-five at his expense. Lillian… felt a bit of disappointment for not being able to kiss her beloved but was somehow happy for the two.

"It's not over yet," Chase flashed him his game card. "Best two out of three."

Kevin's smile returned. They reset once more. Their positions were in first and second at the starting line with Kevin at the front.

Lillian's hands clutched against the edge of Chase's seat. She was biting her lips as she watched the two of them race neck to neck. The rest of the computer characters didn't matter. And since they were so far ahead of the line the items they acquired didn't matter. They were driving on purely skill this time.

She was holding her breath at the final lap. Their positions had changed so many times between the other they were evenly matched. The other girls were just the same. Christine no longer badgered Kevin to beat Chase and Lindsay too watched from over his shoulder. Kevin was so focused nothing else around him mattered.

Suddenly, Chase started to lose speed. It had only been a blink but he had released the gas pedal. No one had noticed… except for Lillian.

It was enough for Kevin to get the smallest of distance when they rounded the corner and drove straight for the finish line. They were so close it was impossible to tell who won. But the computer system itself did.

Kevin had won.

He stood from his seat and threw his fists into the air. Christine and Lindsay both cheered with him. Christine realized how excited she was and did a total 180; she crossed her arms and huffed, giving some excuse for her cheering. Lindsay only kept smiling with a red tint gradually rising out of her cheeks. She subconsciously licked her lips as her eyes trailed to one spot on Kevin's cheek.

Chase slipped out of his seat and circled around the chair. Lillian threw her arms around his neck and embraced him. She whispered into his ear, "You let him win, didn't you?"

"...Sure I did," he said aloud. Loud enough for everyone to hear. They came to their own assumption and probably guessed correctly. Kevin had a cocky smile.

She knew better. She knew what she saw. It made her love him all the more when he was letting Kevin believe this white lie. She drew a little closer and pecked his cheek.

"Hey now," he said in a low voice. "If you're going to do stuff like that then what's the point in even trying?"

"Oh?" she pulled away but didn't release him. Her smile was coy once again. "You mean to tell me you were actually trying to win? Did a kiss from me mean that much to you?"

He didn't say anything as his brows furrowed. "Dammit, girl."

She couldn't hold back her giggling. She wanted to kiss him again but wouldn't press her luck. She released him but didn't fully let him go. She swerved around him and threw her arms around his, enveloping the limb between her breasts. He didn't say anything nor did he try to pry her off. He accepted her position this close to his side.

"So what next?" Kevin exited the machine to approach them. He looked so different with that confident smile. He actually looked kinda cute with how manly he could be. The timid and shy boy was gone. All he needed was to break out of his shell.

"I think you need to claim your prize," Chase said as he nudged his head towards Lindsay.

All the confidence washed away like a heavy downpour. Kevin's face paled and then flushed a deep red all in quick succession.

Lindsay, who had her head bowed, drew up a quick breath. Kevin didn't know what happened when she rushed up to his side, squeezed his shoulder, and stood on her tiptoes to peck him quickly on his cheek. She did it hard enough to bump heads but she didn't care or didn't notice. She rushed off of him and hid behind Christine in the next instant.

Lillian smiled as she watched Kevin get swept away into a world of euphoria.

"Right…" Chase said afterwards. He glanced at the party and then waited a few more seconds for everyone to regain their bearings. "Why don't we give the girls a try at something now? What do you recommend?"

"Oh, I know!" Lillian threw up a hand. "The three of us compete against something this time! Winner gets a kiss from one of the boys!"

"I'm not mentally prepared for this!" Lindsay shouted and hid further behind Christine.

Christine tried to speak but her voice kept cracking and she could only make incoherent noises. Most of her skin was turning blue as she looked between Kevin and… Chase.

Lillian's hand slowly retracted out of the air as she studied Christine.

"I think that's enough of that," Chase said. "Let's just try to have fun as a group. Hoops or air hockey, anyone? I'm also down for a game of _Marvel vs Capcom_ if anyone dares."

He was either reading the situation or- and she prayed otherwise- was avoiding the contest. A part of Lillian didn't want to believe it. Maybe he was just being considerate of the other company. But, a darker part of her, was brooding over the fact he didn't want to kiss her. It couldn't be. He had kissed her on the cheek before. So it couldn't be true. Right?

"...It's not like I wanted a kiss from stupid Kevin or anything," Christine sulked bitterly. She huffed with her face up in the air and marched off deeper into the arcade. Lindsay continued to use the tiny girl as a shield to avoid any form of eye contact with Kevin.

Chase and Lillian followed them to the next game. They left Kevin behind, who was still lost in his own world.

0-0-0

Christine glared at the most adorable plush she had ever seen in her life. No, she didn't want it. She already had a hundred of them in her room with a thousand more locked up in storage. She didn't care if it was the special Red Bunny, limited edition plush of the Red Blur series. She didn't care about the fact it was calling for her name, asking her to give her a home, hold it every night as she fell asleep, and suffocate it with love.

Really. She didn't care.

"Are you going to go for it or can I try?"

She nearly jumped when that other boy spoke up. He moved like a ghost. His presence felt like a ghost. She couldn't sense anything from him and nearly gave her a heart attack when he spoke up.

It had been a good hour of them wasting away in the arcade. Christine didn't care much for games but that's what Kevin liked… so she went along. N-Not that she cared about what dummy Kevin liked! She was just following the crowd! But after awhile everyone started to do their own thing and split apart. Lindsay went off to the bathroom and Christine got distracted looking at the row of crane games.

Chase was standing not too far from her. Not too close but just close enough for how friends should be. He was dressed in all black and continued to wear sunglasses even in this awfully dark play area. He never had a problem seeing anything. He also never had a problem knowing where everyone was around him at all times.

He reminded her of Oto, her mentor and sponsor. That old pervert was one of the most dangerous people in the world. He deceives others into believing he was anything but by being such an extreme pervert. But Christine knew better after someone tried to kidnap her and he came to her rescue.

"I-I don't want them!" she crossed her arms and backed away. "I was only looking at them out of boredom. It's not like the Red Bunny is the most adorable out of all of them!"

Chase's head moved slowly to the crane game, back to her, and then back to the pile of dolls.

"...What?" she demanded.

"Then don't mind me," he said as he approached the game and swiped his card through the scanner. She watched him fiddle with the joystick, manipulating the crane above the glass case. She stopped breathing when the crane came down to clutch at the Red Bunny plush. However… it only moved it slightly as the claw couldn't get a good hold of it.

He swiped his card and tried again.

"Lillian and Kevin are playing _House of the Dead_ right now," he said casually as he wiggle the joystick around. The crane was directly above the plush but he was trying to rotate the claw to get the right angle. The timer went off and the claw descended automatically. He didn't get it again.

Lillian. Christine wasn't sure what to think of that girl. On one hand, the girl was such an eyesore. Really, the girl was dressed like such a slut. Christine hated her because of her large breasts, her wide hips, a buttocks that threatened to break her shorts, and a narrow waist. The girl was, irritating to admit, sexy beyond hell.

On the other hand… she showed no interest in Kevin whatsoever. She seemed genuinely infatuated with Chase. N-Not that she cared if anyone was in love with Kevin or not!

In the end, she didn't like Lillian. No matter how friendly the girl was, there was one fact Christine's bitter heart couldn't accept. It was because…

"You know me," Chase said suddenly.

Christine stopped breathing.

He played the game once more. He gave it half his attention as he looked down at her. Though he himself wasn't tall, he was still taller than Christine. She could see one of his eyes from underneath his shades. His right eye… it was red and glowing dimly.

"You've been watching me since the store earlier," he went on. "At first I thought you were aware of my profession, but you didn't show the regular signs. Nor do I think you know what I am. No, you know me personally. But I don't know you. Why is this?"

The crane failed to catch the doll again. He didn't try another time.

"I…" her voice was small and shaky. "I don't know what you're talking about."

She should have looked away. She felt something scratch on the surface of her mind. An old memory played against her will. His brows furrowed.

She took a quick step back, "What did you just do?"

"Making sure you aren't going to be a threat to Lillian," he answered plainly. He looked away from her and tried again for the toy. "There are a lot of Youkai in the city. Three times I've already had to avoid problems with them. I needed to make sure you weren't going to be the fourth. I won't apologize for poking inside your head. And you can hate me all for it."

Were he anyone else… she would have blasted him with a wave of arctic chill. But there was a reason why she held back. Only one.

"The memory you pulled out," she whispered softly. Mist escaped her breath. "It was from a very long time ago. You know who I am, don't you?"

Whatever he was, he had used some sort of psychic invasion to find the answer for himself. The memory he forced out of her had been when she was a small child. A long time ago, when she lived in Alaska, she had been shunned by the humans. She had been without friends and only tolerated within a daycare center because of Oto's influence. But none of the human children played with her. Only two had ever in the years she spent there.

The first had been Kevin. Her very first friend. But the other…

"I'm not that boy," he said as he focused on the machine. This time the claw was able to grab onto the toy. It carried it before dropping it at the edge of the deposit. It would have fallen back into the pile if he didn't put a hand against the roof of the machine and give it a slight shove. The doll fell through and his prize was waiting for him to pick up.

"...You weren't an Acolyte before," she said.

He didn't react to being called that. Just as he knew what she was, she knew what he was from that particular glow in the eye she could see. He fully regarded her, "It was a very long time ago, Christine. People change. I'm not the boy you met all those years ago."

He bent down to take the Red Bunny out of the square slot.

"I-It's not like I dreamed of meeting you again, or anything," she turned her head away sharply. But she couldn't help to look at him through the corner of her eye every other second.

"You know, Kevin wouldn't be so confused if you were a little more honest," he sighed.

She looked straight at him with her eyes narrowed, "Are you trying to hypnotize me?"

He removed his shades. She blinked. Both his eyes were a dark brown… and not glowing. They were completely normal eyes. "Just friendly advice from experience. Take it as you will. You and I are more strangers than anything. You know just as little about me as I do about you. It sucks your little reunion won't go the way you want it to, but that doesn't mean no good can come from it."

She looked at the Red Bunny in his hands. The warrior in red dragon armor and a bunny suit was staring back at her.

She recognized Chase as soon as she saw him. She didn't believe it and studied his face to be certain. His voice was so much deeper but it still held something similar whenever he talked. Those few times she saw his scowl drop could she see the boy she played with for one week. He was such a cherished memory she never forgot about him. And yet… he had to use some kind of Acolyte psychic attack just to remember her.

No, their reunion wasn't going to be with smiles, warm embraces, and talking about their short time together in the past. This wasn't a reunion to him. But that didn't mean nothing could come out of it.

She stepped up and accepted the Red Bunny in his grip.

...Only for him to pull it out of her reach.

"What're you doing?" he asked with his brows furrowing.

"I-I thought you won it for me!" she blurted back, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Uh… I thought you didn't want it?"

She stared at him. His face remained impassive. She wound up grinding her teeth with a deep chill rising up to her cheeks. She crossed her arms and looked away, "I-I-I-I don't! It's not like I care if you give it to me or not! I was only trying to accept it to be polite! Why don't you just give it to that hussy of a mate you have?"

"At least that _hussy_ is honest with me," he said while tossing the plush up and down with one hand. Her eyes tracked its every movements as her body coiled to catch it as soon as he dropped it. He caught it one last time and held on. "I'm telling you this as a stranger. We might never meet again so fuck if I care about how you feel about me. All you're doing is confusing the poor boy. He doesn't think you're interested. He might even think you're picking on him."

"I-I'm _not_ interested in him!" she barked. His eyes fell flat and the intensity in his glare made her recoil. She looked at the ground while her hands clutched against her dress. "I mean… not _that_ much. Maybe a little. I… I don't mean to say those things. I can't help it."

He ever so gracefully shoved the Red Bunny into her arms. She barely caught it. Chase put back on his sunglasses and turned to leave. "You gotta figure that out for yourself. He's young and an idiot. Boys his age don't take a hint unless you're blunt with them. Even if it's embarrassing as all hell."

"...You're just as old as he is," she bit back.

He didn't reply as he walked off. Her eyes followed him through the glass of the crane machines. He rejoined with Kevin and Lillian, who were shooting at zombies on a screen and striking poses as they did so. They were _really_ into it and have been for quite some time. Apparently they were going for gold as Kevin rushed over to the card machine to purchase more points. Chase handed his card over to Lillian while she used both guns to fire off at the screen. He watched her while leaning against another game across.

Christine looked down at the Red Bunny in her hands. She felt conflicted about that boy. He was so different from when she remembered him. But that was the point of his words; it was so long ago he may as well be a different person now.

She had a thought. What if she had run into him first instead of Kevin? Would she be fighting Lillian over Chase's heart?

...W-W-W-What the hell was she thinking?! So what if Chase was cute and muscular beneath that leather jacket?! So what if he had strong arms and big hands? And a hard chest? And a roguish smile that screamed danger and fantasy whenever she-

"Christine?"

"IT'S NOT THAT GOOD LOOKING, OKAY?!" she screamed at the person who approached her from behind.

Lindsay had an extended hand hanging in the air and a weak smile. She eventually dropped the hand that was meant to pat her shoulder. "S-Sure. Whatever you say. Hey, you won one of those things? That's great! I was never good at any of those. Can you… m-maybe… tell me your secret sometime? A-As friends, of course?"

She didn't understand why Lindsay was turning red, looking away, and poking her fingers together like that. Or was she so embarrassingly bad at these things she was ashamed of asking another person for advice? Well, it wasn't like Christine won this in the first place.

"Ask Chase," she said and began to head back to Kevin and _those two_. "He's the one who won it for me."

"C-Chase did?!" Lindsay gasped with horror. Christine thought nothing of it. But she was confused as Lindsay wasn't the same afterwards. She sulked as if her soccer match was suddenly canceled. And she took little glares at Chase every so often while they all waited for Lillian and Kevin to finish their game.

0-0-0

"YEAH!" Kevin roared as he struck a fist in the air. They had done it. He may have blown most of the money he saved up for today but he had done it! Several years of playing this damn game and he had _finally_ gotten to the end of the story and defeated the final boss.

"We did it!" Lillian, her partner throughout this adventure, leapt up into the air with her legs tucked under her. They threw their arms around each other and leapt up and down in joy. He was so excited to have reached this far he didn't even care about how soft, velvety, spongey… perky…

Okay, he was starting to have a problem. He moved away from her as soon as their next leap was done.

"Congratulations," Chase said. It was hard to get a read on the guy. Most of the things out of his mouth were either sarcastic or blunt. Or both. It was next to impossible to tell which was honest or not.

"Thank you, beloved," Lillian was able to tell, however. But they were a couple so maybe it was something only couples could determine? She walked up to him with her hands behind her back and body swaying back and forwarth. She looked up at him through her bangs. "Do I get a reward for my hard work?"

"You mean for blowing all the points I gave you at the end there?" he returned without hesitance.

Lillian's smile froze in place. What a dick move. Kevin's own cheer vanished as he glared at the guy.

However, Chase gestured for her to come closer. Lillian complied and he leaned forward (and slightly upwards because he was shorter than her) to give her a soft peck on her cheek. Lillian was stunned as a hand lifted up to the cheek he touched. While he continued to look like a rock, she beamed with a radiant smile and giggled to herself.

Whatever Kevin felt was replaced with warmth and envy. He wished to have a moment like this. His eyes inadvertently loomed over to Lindsay and Christine. Both girls blushed and looked away quickly from him. Though, he had done the same too with them.

Someone not in their party was clapping. When Kevin turned towards the source… he couldn't help but make the legendary Excalibur face found on Soul Eater. It was a face reserved for those who had just ran into the one person in the entire world they wanted to avoid.

"What a wonderful performance, Kevin Sweef," a young man said. He was around Kevin's age with blonde hair curled at the front in a pompadour hairdo and a bright blue matador costume. Frills included. He flicked a stray hair out of his face and, dear God, his skin sparkled when he did so. "Ay could not help 'ut be inspired."

"...Who's the queer?" Chase asked ever so eloquently.

"Juan Somethingorother," Kevin hissed as his eyes narrowed.

"You wound me, _mi opuesto,_ " Juan put a hand over his heart and gave the most dramatic of head shakes to date. His nine inch hairstyle bobbed around as he did so. "An' ay came all dis way to congratulate you. You wound me."

Kevin gestured with one hand while looking over to Chase, "This is Juan Somethingorother. He kinda just shows up to ruin my day and try to flirt with Lindsay."

"An' ay just so happened to come across you on today of all dayz," Juan chuckled to himself. His attention went to Lindsay, who squirmed at his look alone. " _Hermoso dia,_ my sweet. We meet yet again."

Lindsay made the same Excalibur face. Long had she stopped trying to be polite and keep a fake smile. Her tolerance for Juan ran out weeks ago.

"...Okay, seriously," Chase cut in. "I can't tell what kind of accent you're going for.."

"Why I am Spaniard, of course!" Juan raised his voice and puffed out his chest.

" _No hay ningun Espanol tan morico,"_ Chase said in… what Kevin deduced as Spanish. Juan didn't seem to know himself as he kept a blank face. Lillian and Christine seemed to as they both gawked at his words. "I won't tear that pretty face apart if you tell me what I just said, _punto._ "

There was something in Chase's voice that made Kevin wince. And it wasn't even directed at him! Juan made a face before taking a quick step back.

"Der is no need for such… how do you say… hostility," Juan put up his hands. "Ay 'aven't done anything to gain such _attencion_. A friend of Sweef is a friend of mine, yes?"

"You're making everyone uncomfortable," Chase put his hands on his hips. "You're a pain to look at. I don't know you and I don't like you. Fuck off before I make you."

"Eh… Beloved?" Lillian put her hands on his arm and tried to plead with him. "Maybe that's a little bit much? Why don't you let Kevin and them deal with him? They seem to know him. Violence doesn't always work, you know."

"Yes, yes, _mi flor,_ " Juan's smile broadened as he noticed Lillian's presence. Kevin frowned as he saw Juan's eyes trace up and down Lillian's figure. He began to approach her. "Your words are like that of an angel. No, you _are_ an angel. Never have I met one as beautiful as-"

As he approached, he tried to reach for her hand. Kevin had seen this technique before. He had once grabbed Lindsay's hand and kissed her knuckles affectionately. She wanted to hurl and nearly decked him after that.

He never made it close to Lillian.

Chase's hand snapped up and gripped the side of Juan's head before anyone could blink. Not even Juan knew what was happening. And before he could realize it, Chase had twisted his body around and forced all of his strength to the side. He slammed Juan's head _into_ the nearest arcade machine. Plastic, glass, and metal bent as he shoved Juan into the device with enough force to cave the surface.

Everyone was stunned into silence as he retched Juan's head out of the machine and flung him to the floor. The boy's face was bleeding profusely with several cuts.

"See," Chase said as he examined his work with professional critique. "Violence always works. If it doesn't, you're not using enough of it. Isn't that right, _Juan_?"

Juan was rendered a whimpering mess as he rolled around on the floor in pain.

"HEY!" someone shouted. It snapped Kevin out of his funk. The old man who managed the arcade was storming towards them. His eyes flared up as he saw the bleeding Juan… and then flared further when he saw his broken machine. Talk about priorities…

"Wait outside," Chase said. He had probably meant it to Lillian but Kevin saw both Lindsay and Christine nod. "I'll take care of this."

They all obeyed without question. Even Kevin did. A part of him wanted to confront Chase but a more dominant part was… terrified. They had been having a good time and then all of a sudden Chase snapped so violently. That could have been any of them.

He watched over his shoulder as Chase spoke to the manager. The manager was shouting at him while Chase was speaking in a low and collective tone. As if nothing bad had happened. That was as far as Kevin could see before they slipped by another row of games and Chase was out of his sight. They kept moving until they were back in the mall walkway.

A moment later, mall security rushed in.

"Do you think Juan is alright?" Lindsay asked once the silence was eating at everyone. "I mean… I always wanted to kick him where the sun doesn't shine but…"

Christine chose to not answer. Her hand was clutching the front of her dress while her eyes watched the entrance of the arcade. Kevin could only assume she was shaken by what she just saw.

"Is he always like this?" Kevin asked Lillian.

While the red-headed beauty was startled, she was only that. She seemed to be the most collective out of all of them. "S-Sometimes. But only when it matters."

"You mean this is _normal_?" Kevin growled.

"When it matters," Lillian's tone dropped in pitch as she took a defensive stance. "My mate doesn't attack anyone without reason. Every time it's been because we've been in danger. He's taken out vampires and an Inu. He must have seen something from this Juan guy."

...Vampires? He wanted to question it but… not too long ago he didn't believe in the existence of Youkai. And then a real one tried to attack him because he had gotten close to Christine. And then he found out about Christine. It was coincidental Lillian claimed to be attacked by an Inu as well. Maybe that was just natural for all Inu?

Wait. He just realized the importance of Lillian's words. She was aware of the supernatural. And the way she was so casual about releasing this sensitive information to him suggestion she knew that he knew. But… how?

He decided to wait until Chase returned. They didn't have to wait long as Chase stepped out of the arcade. Two of the mall security were walking close behind him. They kept a close proximity even as he approached the group.

"So…" he began when he stepped up. Everyone was waiting for him to say something. "All of us are getting kicked out of the mall for the day. Managed to convince the old fuck it was purely my doing so you kids will be welcomed back within a week. The kid is being sent to a hospital when EMT arrives. We should get moving before Paul Blart here calls for a legit police force."

He stuck his thumb over his shoulder, pointing directly at one particularly rounded security guard.

"Is this a joke to you?" Kevin demanded.

"I don't do jokes," Chase returned with a tone as serious as the grave. "Nobody gets my sense of humor."

"Kevin…" Lindsay stepped up and pulled on the sleeve of his shirt. "Let's just go before we cause more trouble. Okay?"

He listened to her. He shot Chase one more glare before turning around and heading for the nearest exit. Lindsay stayed at his side and he felt Christine not too far from him. Chase and Lillian walked behind them. They gained a bit of attention from everyone else as mall security led them out towards the parking lot. He was only thankful they didn't take any information. His mom would have killed him.

They were out of the mall in a few minutes. The heat of the afternoon sun bore down on them like the judgment of God. Though this was all Chase's fault, Kevin felt guilty and afraid. He'd never gotten in trouble like this before.

"Don't let us ruin your date," Chase said as he put his hands in his pockets. "Lil and I should get going anyways. Have fun, you three."

"You're leaving," Kevin glared at him. "Just like that?"

"Y-Yeah," Lindsay spoke up. "It's not _that_ bad. You don't have to go just because of that."

Kevin looked at her with astonishment.

"...Thank you," Christine said in a small voice. She looked up at Chase, "From one stranger to another. Thank you for taking the fall. That guy is such a creep."

Kevin couldn't believe it. Lindsay wanted these two to stick around and Christine was thanking him for getting them kicked out! Was there something he missed? Why were these two choosing his side?

"I think we overstayed our welcome," Chase said.

"Beloved," Lillian gave a rather cute whine as she pulled on his arm. "We still don't know what else there is to do. Maybe they can take us on a tour of the town?"

"Y-Yeah!" Lindsay jumped in. "There's plenty we can show you. Right, Kevin?"

She nudged at his side. She did it a few times. He must have been glowering at Chase because Lindsay was giving him a look. He didn't understand what they wanted. Were… Were Lindsay and Christine interested in a person like Chase? Was this what they were into? Did they like the bad boy type?

"...I guess," he grumbled.

They weren't convinced. Chase crossed his arms and looked around the lot. "I suppose… I owe you for getting you kicked out. I'll treat you three to something. We can pick up a few things and hang at the park, try out some laser tag, or hit up that stamp museum. Your pick."

Kevin stared at him, "You know, when you asked I also said there's also karaoke."

Chase was shaking his head by tiny fractions, trying to tell Kevin it was a bad idea.

"Karaoke?" Lillian perked up. "That sounds amazing! Beloved has the most wonderful voice! Doesn't that sound fun, Chase?"

Chase made a noise in the back of his throat. A pained noise as if someone had just shot him in the foot. When Lillian tilted her head at him, he made another noise. "Lil, this is for them, not us. Let the kids decide what they want to do."

"You know what?" Kevin stood up a little straighter. He saw an easy shot and wasn't going to hesitate to pull his punches. "Karaoke sounds fun. Why the hell not?"

He felt a migraine come on him as Chase glared at him through those pitch black sunglasses. It felt like Kevin was meeting the face of the sun.

"Well if Kevin wants to, I'm game," Lindsay perked up as well. "Sounds like fun! What do you say, Christine? Don't you want to do a duet with me?"

"Or Kevin…?" Lillian leaned forward and teased.

"Eh, sure Lindsay I…" Christine began to answer until Lillian gave her retort. Christine blushed a bright blue, "Who the hell wants to pair up with someone like… I-I mean… I wouldn't be opposed if… K-Kevin needs a partner."

She coughed into her hand and made a pointed effort to look away from him.

"Son of a…" Kevin heard Chase mutter beneath his breath. "Alright, karaoke it is. I'll drive if you just give me directions."

"You drive?" Kevin asked. "Aren't you like our age? Won't we get pulled over if we're seen with you?"

"This might surprise you but…" Chase began as he pulled out a set of keys from his jean pocket. "I'm pretty sure I'm a good decade older than all of you."

Kevin wasn't sure what to think about that. He didn't fully believe it but couldn't discredit it either. The guy _did_ look older than them but it was hard to tell. Most of his face was covered in sunglasses and he was so short. When he looked at the rest of the group, Lillian was giving him an odd look, Lindsay looked as skeptical as Kevin felt, and Christine was giving him a flat look as if she knew better.

"So… we doing this or not?" Chase said after the awkward silence.

"Shotgun!" Lindsay called out.

"Eh? No way!" Lillian held onto Chase's arm a little tighter. "That's my seat! You have Kevin, don't you?"

"Lil, she called it," Chase said in a stern voice. "It's a law somewhere. Besides, I need someone up front to give me directions."

Lillian didn't look too happy. She puffed her cheeks like a child.

"Can I ask something?" Kevin looked directly at Chase.

"Christine was having a panic attack," Chase answered, already knowing what Kevin was going to ask. "That kid isn't exactly human and I don't want him anywhere near Lillian. You should stay away from him too."

Kevin blinked and looked over to Christine. Their eyes met. She looked away quickly with a faint blue blush. He never realized what was going on. But… this wasn't the first time they came across Juan. Did something happen recently? Or… has this always been a thing and he never noticed?

"Hey uh… quick question," Lindsay clasped her hands together as she tilted her head. "About that? Vampires and Inus… exactly how much do you two know about the supernatural?"

Lillian looked over to her boyfriend for confirmation. Or mate candidate, whatever that was. Chase glanced at her in the corner of his vision. At the angle she should have been able to see his eyes beneath those shades. A silent conversation was exchanged before Chase went back to them.

"I'm aware both you and Kevin are human," he answered. "I'm just as human as you are… but the general community doesn't consider me mundane."

Kevin took the hint. Chase didn't include Christine in that list, which meant he may or may not know she was a Youkai. At the least he knew she wasn't human. And, just the same, he was implying Lillian wasn't human either.

More questions rose to Kevin's mind. He wanted to know what Chase meant by that last statement. But just as he wasn't saying anything about Christine and Lillian meant he wasn't going to say anything about himself either. Kevin decided to leave it alone as a courtesy.

"Ready to head out?" Chase asked the group.

With nods and vocalized agreements, they headed into the parking lot. They had to circle around the mall complex since Chase went through another entrance. A few minutes later and they approached a silver civic. The interior was scorching hot and the only ones able to immediately climb in was Chase and Christine. The rest of them waited a few minutes while Chase blasted the air conditioner to cool off the leather seats.

"It's hardly noon," Lillian flapped her shirt by the collar. It gave Kevin a huge flash of her sweaty cleavage and he could not look away no matter how hard his mind was screaming at him. "Why is it so hot?"

"That's just Arizona weather," Lindsay gave her a sympathetic smile. She and Kevin had lived here most of their lives and were pretty resistant to the heat. "We only have two seasons here: summer and spring. Right now it's kinda cool. You should wait until July."

"Bleck," Lillian stuck her tongue out at the suggestion.

They all got in the car when enough time passed. While the heat was still strong, it had cooled down considerably within and the AC was blasting in cold. Christine adjusted one of the vents to face away from her. She sat directly in the middle since she was the smallest with Kevin on her left and Lillian on her right. Lindsay took the front seat while Chase drove.

Kevin watched as Lindsay talked away with Chase while she fiddled with the radio. He gave his usual dry remarks but he wasn't dismissive or rude towards her. The two of them seemed to get along well as they talked about the music, the local area, and her life on the soccer team. She got so absorbed by it she accidentally forgot to give him directions a few times. He didn't seem to mind as he kept driving and engaged with the topic.

Kevin felt a bit of jealousy at how easily Chase was able to talk to Lindsay. For years Kevin struggled to talk to Lindsay… well, to _any_ girl. Things changed as soon as they both hit puberty. He could no longer see her as his childhood friend but now someone of the opposite sex. And someone he was crushing on super hard.

He didn't get out of this funk until he met Christine. And even that had been an adventure on its own. He still struggled to strike up a conversation with them but the three of them got along fine. He knew he couldn't talk to them as easily as they could with each other. Those two just clicked while anything out of his mouth ended the conversation.

Chase had no problem at all. Kevin felt envious.

At least he wasn't the only one. He glanced over Christine's head and saw Lillian's flat stare piercing through the head of Lindsay's seat.

That… and the fact the read-head was uttering "Staaaaaaaare" in a heated voice.

0-0-0

" _Bradford's Poltergeist Specialists, this is Heather. Having trouble with a ghost in the attic? We can conduct an examination for free-"_

"It's me. I would like to report the presence of an Accuser."

" _...! That's quite the claim, sir. Many members of the Observatory come and go through this town. How do you know they weren't one of our own?"_

"Because that man assaulted me with your techniques. I then watched as he hypnotized those around him into letting him walk away from it all. Isn't this a direct violation of our agreement?"

" _...Can you describe the culprit to me?"_

"Short guy. Maybe a little over five feet. Dark skin, black hair, dresses in all black and sunglasses indoors. I saw a glimpse of his eyes. They were red and blue."

" _A-A dual-wielder?! I see. He certainly isn't one of ours nor has the Observatory mentioned someone like him passing through. We will have to investigate on our own before labeling him as an Accuser, however."_

"The hell with your rules. _I'm_ telling you he's an Accuser. My sources tell me he came from Los Angeles. Last I heard, the Observatory completely pulled out of that city a few years ago. Deal with him… or you will find yourself buried under more debt. Your anniversary is coming up, isn't it? Didn't you and your husband want to take a trip to the Bahamas?"

" _...I understand. Thank you for the information. We will notify you once the threat has been neutralized. Enjoy the rest of your day."_

0-0-0

"Where are you going?" Lillian looked up at him with her large eyes. Just looking at her made him want to laugh. She was so defenseless and innocent. There wasn't a single care in the world for her other than to try and win his heart over. Teenage troubles he hadn't fretted over since… no, he never actually had concerns like that before. Even before the war.

"I just realized I never called Claudia," Chase told her. He was already climbing over everyone's legs to get to the room's exit. "It shouldn't take long. I'll be back by the time it's my turn."

"But you only sang one song…" Lillian pouted. "Can't it wait until we're done?"

"I'll be back," he assured her. "I'm just going to use one of the phones up front. Anyone want anything while I'm out?"

He looked around at the other teenagers. They all shook their heads. They had already stocked up on candy and drinks from the vending machines outside in the hallway. Wrappers scattered across the middle table while Christine struggled to find a song on the tablet.

"Kevin…" Chase's tone dropped in pitch as he gave the other boy a flat look. "Don't do anything I would."

"W-What is that supposed to mean?!" Kevin squawked. When Chase slipped out, he vaguely heard his muffled voice. "No, seriously! I don't know what that means!"

They hadn't been using the facility for too long. Less than an hour. But apparently that was long enough for some Youkai to get proper treatment and swear revenge on him. He either had some magical assistance or Monstrang had already anticipated something like this. Either way, this needed to be taken care of quickly and without getting Lillian and the others involved.

"Hey, Samantha," Chase reached the front desk of the building where they had purchased a room. "You got a phone I can use?"

His Tuner graciously held the wireless receiver with both hands as though it were their child. She handed it over like so, smiling sweetly and basking in his presence no longer than a breath. Only then did she step away and go back to helping another customer. Her uniform was a little too tight as she had to tie it up to her waist and undo some of the buttons. She got a lot of attention from the male clients.

She also kicked the teenager stripped down to her underwear beneath the counter. She was tied up, gagged, and just starting to come back to her senses. Samantha couldn't have any of that and knocked her out again. The poor kid got the worst shift possible today. This was probably their first job too.

He didn't call Claudia like he led Lillian to believe. He dialed a number and waited for it to answer on the other end. He leaned against the counter.

" _Monstrang,"_ came the gruff, rippling voice of the head honcho in the area.

"God you even sound fat," Chase spoke in a low voice but didn't try to hide the conversation. "I wanted your blessing on a potential hit I might have to do."

Those that heard him gave him an odd look but thought nothing further about it. It was amazing how hard people actually tried to avoid confrontation. They dismissed his words as if it were a joke. They wouldn't even dare to think he wasn't joking.

" _I think you've seen too many movies, Mister Rolan,"_ he heard the chair groan in agony as Davin adjusted his weight.

"I don't normally ask," Chase drummed his fingers against the counter as he spoke plainly. "I typically just do it. I'm only asking as a courtesy because I'm here as Claudia's representative. There's a kid who just called in a hit for me. He's getting the Observatory involved. I can deal with them quietly but want to know if I have your permission to go after the kid. He's a Youkai, at least something like one. I'm assuming he falls under your jurisdiction."

" _Yes, and I know who you're referring to. I received a report not too long ago about what happened at the mall. Unfortunately the loss of that young man would aggravate many unwanted parties. I can handle them but doing so would cause unrest in my territory. Having that said… I cannot do anything to keep you from doing what you want."_

"Go figure. Can I at least scare him a bit then? Fuck if I care about my rep or anything like that. I just personally don't like him."

" _As I said, I cannot do anything to keep you from doing what you want. So long as you do not kill the boy or impede him from providing for himself… I will look the other way. Truth be told, I think a good scaring is what that boy needs. He's been getting too full of himself as of late."_

"Fair enough. I don't plan on staying much longer. We should be out of your territory soon enough."

There was no need to say anything else by each other. He hung up and he knew Davin would have at the same time. Samantha was waiting on him to take back the receiver by the time he lowered the piece from his ear. She knew him so well… too well. The best he could do was tolerate her obsessiveness. It was the best he could do without feeding her crazy as well as giving her something to not starve her at the same time.

A happy Samantha meant less dead people. And they called _him_ a psychopath.

"Thank you, Samantha," he said before lifting himself upright and heading back to the room.

"You're always welcome," she said with a loving and longing voice. He knew by the time he was around the corner would she hop over the counter and head out of the building. Her cover was about to be blown anyways. There _were_ security cameras behind the counter to watch all activity.

Chase returned to the karaoke room… only to stare at what he just walked into. Kevin and Lillian were panting heavily with a mic in each hand, smiling brightly. They looked like they had fun and he knew better than to expect anything more out of them. What really concerned him was Christine and Lindsay.

Lindsay lay sprawled on the floor with her eyes staring up at the ceiling, lifeless. Her mouth was frothing. Christine had her head planted between the couch cushions like a damn ostrich. Her butt stuck up in the air while she was using another pillow to cover what parts of her head she couldn't fully conceal.

"...What just happened?" he had to ask.

"Beloved!" Lillian spun around, slapping Kevin with her long hair with how sharp she moved. She pouted at him, "You missed it! Can you believe they have anime songs?! It was a duet and only Kevin knew the lyrics. Y-You're not mad, are you?"

He glanced at the tablet placed down on the middle table. The title was in Japanese.

"For a sec I thought you were going to kiss him," Chase said. The thought _did_ cross his mind so it wasn't necessarily a lie. He trusted Lillian and knew she was almost as obsessed about him as Samantha. Almost. It wasn't physically possible to be anywhere close to her level of stalker.

"You're the only one for me, Chase," Lillian said with such a hurtful tone his existence paused. The moment passed and he slipped back into life. Goddamn this fox.

"So…" Chase looked for any excuse. He picked up the tablet and pretended this was always his plan. "Who's going next? Lindsay? Christine?"

"It's your turn, beloved," Lillian pushed the mic into his chest. She kept pushing even when he wouldn't take it. A cheeky grin split her lips and a fire burned in her eyes. "Don't think I forgot. You've only sang once while we've each done three. But don't worry. If you're feeling embarrassed, I'll sing with you!"

"NO!" Both Lindsay and Christine returned from the dead. They both shouted and jerked up into a sitting position, faces horrified as if they had just fought off against a dream-eating monster.

"I-I mean…" Lindsay coughed a few times as she blushed from her outburst. "You just went, Lillian. Why not give someone else a try?"

He understood. To be blunt, Lillian and Kevin were _terrible_ singers. They were less than tone-deaf. They were just bad. Alone, they could be tolerated. But apparently he dodged a bullet when he skipped out on their duet. They must have been a natural disaster when they put their two voices together.

"But I want to sing a duet with my mate…" Lillian pouted.

Yeah? Well he didn't want to sing, period. If he couldn't get what he wanted then he was going to take her down with him.

"Remember we're here for them, Lil," Chase told her. She deflated but wouldn't argue against him. He knew she didn't like it. He pointed the mic at the other two girls. "Either of you two want to have a go with me?"

"Phrasing, beloved," Lillian gave him a sour look. He ignored her.

"Ah… well…" Lindsay looked to Christine and back at him a few times. He knew she wanted to sing with Christine because… well, Lindsay might like Christine as more than just a friend. It was hard to tell this early on. "I guess I can give it a try. Sure. What song do you have in mind?"

He gestured for her to come over as he sat down on the couch. She did, keeping a decent space away while he extended the tablet for them to share between them. He browsed through the duet section. However… what songs he knew she didn't. And vice-versa. Lindsay's choice was filled with boybands and modern pop garbage.

She had no respect for the classics. Didn't even know who ELO was. Kids these days…

"Pokemon?" he blinked as he went down the list. "This counts as a duet?"

He heard Christine gasp. They all did. Everyone's attention turned towards her. Her face had a shade of blue while she made it her life's purpose to avoid all eye contact.

"Christine…?" Chase spoke softly and slowly. He tried to keep his voice even. "Do you want to sing this with me?"

"Pfft, what? No!" she crossed her arms and huffed. "Don't be ridiculous! It's not like I've listened to that song a thousand times after you showed me that anime! I don't have it on my phone! I don't know what you're talking about!"

"...What's she talking about, Chase?" Lillian's voice was cold and flat as her eyes pierced through the back of his scalp. Or tried to. There were more dangerous women in his life he had to deal with.

"Later," he promised as he got up from the couch. He grabbed the extra mic from Kevin and tossed it underhanded into Christine's lap. She looked up at him through narrowed eyes. "Up. No one else seems to know my songs. You're the only one."

"Uh…" Kevin began but stopped himself. It would seem he knew the song as well but chose to not comment. That was fine. He really didn't want to hear Kevin's voice right next to his ear.

Lindsay clicked on the song. The familiar opening fanfare began to play on the speakers hanging over the ceiling. The words popped up on a screen in the front of the screen. He glanced at them briefly. He was relieved to know the song of this period was exactly the same as the one he grew up on. It would have been awful and heartbreaking to have another detail like this obscured.

He didn't hate singing, per se. He loved it. It reminded him of his time with his brother. But unlike Leorio, who was a ham for things like this, Chase didn't like to perform in front of people. Even among friends.

...So why was he going along with this?

He found himself singing the opening line without hesitation. Though in his current form he could not hear the song as he once did, the melody played inside him. He recalled it as he had heard it a hundred thousand times. He repeated the words, unable to hear his own voice the same way Lillian and the others could. It was like reading a book; he could only imagine all things sounded like _this_.

Christine joined him. She sang from the couch at first, timidly and quietly. She took a couple glances at Kevin to see if he was watching her. He was and he gave her an encouraging smile. It made her fold in on herself in embarrassment, but only briefly. When she looked up at Chase, watching how he was singing without self-restriction, she began to thaw out.

Eventually, as she sang a little more clearer, she rose out of the couch and joined him. They exchanged lines, singing certain parts of the song alone, and then meeting together at the chorus. It wasn't until they reached the final sect did she completely give herself to the song.

She looked happy. Relieved. She looked up at him with a smile that looked so natural on her even when this was the first time he had seen it. If he were to shut his eyes and use his vessel's memories… he can remember a little girl with a similar smile.

As good as this was for her, the others in the room didn't take it too fondly. Lillian was jealous, as expected. But so too was Kevin and Lindsay. The room felt stiff as they all clapped and cheered hollowly.

Fucking teenagers. This was why he hated going to high school, no matter how much Stradt urged him to attend. At least Lillian wasn't trying to hide her jealousy. No, he can't say that was any better.

"I think that's it for our session," Chase said. He didn't have a watch but had been keeping track of time within his head. It had been over an hour since they used the room. That was over the time he purchased for all of them.

"That's strange," Kevin muttered as he scratched his cheek and looked at the door. "Usually someone comes and tells us. I don't want to get in trouble so… let me go find out."

He left the room to ask the front desk.

Meanwhile, Lindsay used this chance to (not so stealthily) sneak around Christine and Lillian to get his attention. She tugged on his sleeve and nudged with her head to follow him. They moved to one corner of the room while Lindsay stage-whispered to him.

"There's something I need to know," she began with a hushed but focused tone. "Do you have a thing for Christine or something?"

"No," he answered honestly and without thought.

"You sure?" she didn't believe him, of course. He refrained from rolling his eyes and kept giving her a blunt stare. "It's just that when I saw you two singing like that… she never gets like that. I've never seen her open up like that. And the way she looks at you…"

"I've noticed," his voice dropped in pitch. "I'm already trying things with Lillian. You'll probably never see me again after this. So you don't have to worry about me stealing her from you."

 _That_ got a reaction out of her. Lindsay's back straightened as he watched her blood rush up her face like a volcano about to erupt. "T-T-That's not what I meant! I don't like Christine like… like _that_! We're friends! Just. Friends!"

"I've also seen the way you've been looking at her," Chase retorted. "You know what? It's none of my business. Bottom line is I'm not interested in her. Anything else?"

Lindsay had a conflicted expression. Her eyes strayed to the two behind him. Christine and Lillian were watching them both from where they sat on the couch. Lillian with narrowed eyes as she sipped on the straw of her empty glass. Christine just looked curious.

Lindsay returned to him with her face reddening further. She bowed her head as her voice dropped so low he almost couldn't hear her. "Does… Did she… say anything about me?"

Oh what joy. He was already too involved in this freak of a love triangle. First Kevin likes both girls and both girls like him. Now Lindsay likes both Kevin and Christine… possibly Christine more than Kevin. But Christine only has interest in Kevin. This was just a mess. He would rather untangle the Christmas lights than deal with this teenage melodrama.

Fuck being a teenager. He was _sooooo_ glad his body didn't produce any hormones. Being dead had its perks after all.

"You know," he sighed as he rubbed the side of his head. He couldn't get a headache but old habits die hard. "I feel like all of your problems can be solved with just a few words. Have you ever considered just asking her yourself?"

"I-I-I-I can't do that!" Lindsay looked ready to cry with how hysterical she was becoming. She wasn't even trying to hide her voice any longer. "W-W-What if it doesn't work out?! What if I make things worse?!"

"Christine, Lindsay has something she needs to tell you." Fuck it. Fuck these kids. Fuck subtlety and not stepping on toes. He didn't come to Arizona to deal with high school drama. He turned and addressed the smaller girl across the room.

"NO I DON'T!" Lindsay tried to leap onto his back and cover his mouth with her hand. He moved out of the way. But she kept trying, pushing herself on him and trying to press her hands over his mouth. He held onto both her wrists. "He's lying! I-It's nothing! Just a joke!"

"She thinks I'm in love with you or something," he blurted out. Christine squeaked and turned bright blue. Lillian looked ready to kill. "But I don't think it's meant to be. You see, the one who truly loves you is-"

"GHAAAAAA!" Lindsay shrieked to overshadow anything else he had to say. She doubled in her efforts to silence him. But he was a lot stronger than her. And even if she had an advantage, he could always resort to Aura.

He had enough. In a flicker of movement did he use her weight against her, spin her around, and pin one of her arms behind her back. She stood with her back to his chest while he covered her mouth with one of his hands.

"...Beloved I trust you but is there something I should know?" Lillian's eyes wanted to how close their bodies were touching. Her tone didn't match her words.

"Yeah, your plan just got another variable," he began. Lindsay knew what he was talking about and tried to squirm out of his grip. But he held on. "You both like Kevin, right?"

Lindsay finally went still. He didn't release his grip so she could only nod in agreement. Christine was reluctant to admit it but gave a very quiet response of affirmation.

"Have either of you tried to tell him how you feel?" he asked next.

Christine didn't answer. He had this conversation with her earlier. She was being reminded of it and had to think about it some more. Lindsay didn't give a response herself. He decided to let her go. She rubbed her wrist where he held her and took a few steps forward.

"It's… more complicated than that," Lindsay said in a small voice. "I'm not blind. I know Kevin likes me. I've always known. It's kinda hard not to with the way he acts. It's just… if I tell him now, I don't think he'll ever change. He'll keep us at a distance, always afraid he's going to hurt our feelings. I don't want that. I want… a boyfriend."

Chase glanced at the door, sensing Kevin's current location from the building. He was running around, almost in a panic. He kept his awareness on the boy while addressing the girls, "Yeah. Kevin is kind of a pussy. But that's more common than you think for boys his age. However, those poor habits of his won't go away suddenly. People can only change through dramatic experiences. If the two of you don't change him, someone else will beat you to it."

Both girls stared at the ground in grim acceptance.

"The same goes to you two," he went on. Their heads lifted up to look at him. "Look, it's not my place, I get that. I don't even want to be here. But being forced to spend the day with all this teenage bullshit makes me want to rip my hair out. If the two of you don't get your act together, you're not going to make any progress at all. _Talk._ You'd be amazed at how well it actually works."

"...Says the guy who smashed Juan's face into Donkey Kong," Christine grumbled.

"I can do that to Kevin if you want," he offered.

They took it as a joke. They forgot he didn't do jokes.

"Speak of the Devil and…" Chase cut off the conversation as he looked at the door. At the right time, the door was thrown open. Kevin looked like he had ran a marathon (which he sort of had) and was in a panic.

"Guys! Something's wrong!" Kevin panted. "Everyone's gone!"

"Kevin!" Lindsay gasped at the sight of him.

"Gone? What do you mean?" Christine rose out of her seat. "You sure they didn't just go off to take a break or something?"

"No, I mean _everyone's_ gone!" Kevin spoke urgently. "Not just the staff. The customers too. And I found someone tied up and stripped down beneath the front desk. I think something happened!"

Oh. That last part was Samantha's doing. Chase wasn't going to clarify that.

He did, however, spread his senses throughout the building. Kevin was right. The World was telling him no one but them were in the building. His Acolyte senses picked up traces of… Youki, the same metaphysical substance Lillian used in her practices. It was in the air and covering the building in a dense fog. He briefly wondered why someone like Kevin and Lindsay weren't affected by it.

This wasn't how the Observatory did things. No, the World was telling him this wasn't their doing. The local Observers were still preparing to challenge him. This was something else entirely.

"Everyone, get your things and move out," Chase spoke sharply. It was a tone he used when commanding the Researcher Symphonies and the Knights of Luna. The kids weren't used to such a commanding tone. But they obeyed quickly. Instinct took over them as they grabbed what they brought in and waited for his next cue.

He felt their fear spike when he pulled out a pistol from behind his shirt. Lillian tensed but was a little more used to seeing him like this. He felt a small trickle of her Youki rise out of her body. It wasn't enough to bring out her ears and tails but enough to defend herself. With a gesture, he held point and moved to the edge of the doorway. He made an act of looking both ends of the hallway before moving on. The World was telling him if anything would surprise them.

The area was clear as they followed him like a pack of ducklings; single-filed line and scared witless. The sun was still shining brightly over their heads and blazing fiercely. The invisible fog of Youki was still potent in the parking lot. The only car parked was his rental.

Three young men were waiting for them outside. They were much taller than him (which wasn't much to say given his own lack of height) and built heavily. Two of them were just fat while the one in the front was mostly muscle. They were dressed in baggy clothes like any stereotypical street gang.

"Fucking Kevin, I blame you for this," Chase growled. He kept his gun steady but pointed on the ground. The three in front of him were Youkai. They saw him lead the group and were aware of his _toy_. They didn't think he was a threat as they smirked at him.

"Me?!" Kevin's voice cracked. "Why are you blaming me for this?! What did I do?!"

"You poked Fate with a sharp stick," Chase retorted.

The leader of these street thugs showed a sign of insight in his eyes. He spoke in a deep voice, "Ah. He spoke the words that must never be spoken?"

"You're damn right he did."

"Now it makes sense. We originally planned on this next week but found a break in our schedule suddenly. We couldn't waste such an opportune moment."

"Naturally."

"W-Why are you discussing an ambush like it's the weather?" Kevin asked in a shaky voice.

No one answered him. The leader of the pack kept his attention locked on Chase. His nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. "You're very strange. You are no Youkai but you're not fully human either. I have no quarrel with you. I'll let you leave. Our business is with the girl behind you."

Chase sensed Christine's Youki spike suddenly. She was the one they were after.

"But leave the fox behind," one of the goons said. He licked his lips as his eyes traced up and down Lillian's body. She moved to stand behind Chase to cover herself. "Dahm! I ain't seen no piece of ass that hot before. We're gonna eat good tonight."

"Don't worry, gal," the other goon whistled at her. "We'll show you a real good time! We're twice the size of your boyfriend, if ya know what I mean. You're gonna be begging for more from us!"

He didn't need to see Lillian to know how grossed out she felt. Their leader shrugged, never taking his eyes off of Chase. But there was a lustful hunger in his gaze. He too wanted Lillian and wouldn't be opposed to crush Chase to get her.

"H-Hold on," Kevin spoke up, trying to be brave. He stepped up to stand beside Chase while putting up a arm to shield Lindsay and Christine behind him.

"Kevin…" Lindsay gave a warning of concern but that was as far as it went.

"What do you want with Christine?" Kevin challenged the leader.

The young man stared at Chase a little longer before regarding Kevin. "Word on the street is she's the one who beat the top dog. That makes her the toughest in the hood. We're here to claim that title for ourselves."

"You'd gang up against a _girl_ for something like that?" Kevin's fear was replaced with anger. "She was only trying to protect me! Chris was the one who hounded us both! Christine only beat him because I distracted him! It was an accident, so leave her alone!"

"Hold up," Chase lowered his gun, stood straight, and turned to face Kevin. "Chris? Six and a half foot giant with muscle for brains? Has the face of a pug and smells like wet dog?"

Kevin gawked at him. "You… You know Chris Fleicher?"

"Unfortunately," Chase sighed. "Fucking hell. He came from _here_? I should have seen this coming."

"Wait," Lindsay spoke up. "You mean Chris moved to wherever you're from? Has he been causing you problems too?"

"He tried to," Lillian perked up with a proud smile. "But beloved here beat him black and blue. He would have done more but a certain Sorceress Supreme got in the way."

He didn't try to correct her. Fuck if he cared how she addressed Stradt right now.

"Really?" Kevin asked with a look of heavy disbelief. His eyes strayed over to Chase, particularly at his height and physique.

"It's true!" Lillian stamped a foot on the ground. "I was there! I saw the whole thing!"

"Hey! Don't you ignore us!" one of the goons shouted.

Everyone suddenly remembered where they were. Well, the kids did at least. The World wouldn't let Chase forget his situation. It was telling him how big of a threat the three across of them were. It was also telling him how to deal with them using the bare minimum effort. Which, annoyingly enough, would require a bit of effort on his part. He couldn't deal with them through mundane methods like with Chris.

It was also telling him something else. Another obstacle he would have to deal with in the near future. If he used any of his affinities… Lillian would know what he could do. She would never betray him, never. But she knew someone who would. Someone she trusted but who did not trust him. This new person was a potential threat and it would be a pain in the ass having to deal with them if his abilities were known.

It would require ten times the work than what he would need to do right now. It wasn't worth it.

"That's enough!" Christine brought up her courage and moved to the front of the group. She put a hand on her chest and declared, "Here I am! I am the one who beat Chris Fleicher! Fight me if you want, but let my friends go!"

"Christine, no!" Kevin grabbed her arm and tried to pull her away.

She looked at him. Her eyes were terrified. But she held a strong front for his sake. "Kevin. I'll hold them off. Use that time to call for help. I'll be fine."

"Beloved…" Lillian whispered into his ear. "Isn't there anything you can do?"

The leader of the gang was looking at him again. He found something in what observations he could make. Unlike his two underlings, this one was intelligent. He saw something in Chase. There was some truth in Lillian's proclamation. There was no way Chase was going to get out of a fight with him. He felt he had to prove himself against another person who beat Chris.

Great. Just great. And Chase was giving himself a handicap.

Options played inside his mind. He went through them on his own and double checked them with the World. A couple ideas were tossed with a select few remaining for consideration. The best choice was for him to fight the three of them using purely physical Aura enhancement techniques. Fuck that. It would take too long and he would reveal a bit too much to Lillian. He picked the second best choice.

"Split up!" Chase shouted. He turned, tossed Christine over his shoulder, and took off running across the parking lot. He used a bit of Aura to enhance his speed, making him look above average for a human. He would pick up speed when he was further away. His goal at the moment was to just get to the next building over.

"W-WHAT?!" Christine shrieked.

"Christine!" Kevin and Lindsay shouted back.

"Beloved!" he heard Lillian.

"After them!" the leader roared, literally roared like a beast. He took off running with feet that shook the ground. The World was telling Chase they would catch up to him easily at this speed. After a few more steps, he applied more Aura and increased his own speed.

Only one of the goons followed the leader. The other one was impeding Lillian from coming after him. He would harass her but leave the two humans. She was his prime target. They were equal in power and only experience would determine the winner. Unfortunately, the thug had the advantage. Lillian was too naive and unaware of the mechanics of a supernatural brawl.

Still, this worked in his favor. Once he got out of her sight… he wouldn't have to hold back.

* * *

 **Pat reon: Arrixam**


	10. Chapter 10

"Aristille lu Blanc?"

Luna had heard much about the personal homunculus to the late Archmage Valdius lu Blanc. The Lesser One had graduated with honors from the Magistrate's main academia in Spain. Her graduating thesis in Practical Application would have stamped her name with a title had she been anything but a Lesser One. Even someone as uneducated in the arcane arts as Luna found the proposal to be brilliant and easy to understand.

Directly after completing her education, she remained at the Archmage of Quebec's side. His repertoire of skills and accomplishments earned him a seat at the Magistrate's inner council as well as an increase in his family rank from earldom to marquiate. Luna had a feeling all of Valdius' successes were in the result of Aristille's hard work.

It broke her heart seeing such a woman of renown bag groceries for a living now.

Aristille, still in the rising of her youth, finished placing the last plastic bag of perishables into the cart of an elderly woman before giving Luna any attention. She had the natural beauty the cosmetic business loathed. Though not as… full as Luna, Aristille's form was still to be admired. Yet, her eyes were dead to the world. They were alert to their surroundings, yes, but they did not live in the real world.

Here was a woman who was only surviving day by day.

"Can I help you?" she asked, brows creased slightly in a weary manner.

"I am sorry to bother you during your hours," Luna gave a polite and apologetic smile. "I was hoping you could answer a few questions for me regarding the Cloverfield Park incident."

The neutral but firm line on her lips curled downwards. "You can find your answers with the Hands, Miss Mul. Please don't come back again."

"We can offer you compensation for your time," Luna spoke in the same polite manner. "I promise to make it worth your while. I would like to hear your side of the story. From one woman to another."

Something hungry slipped from Aristille at the mention of money. She was desperate enough to allow an old wound to reopen by Luna's selfish demand. Luna silently apologized to this woman for the burden she was bringing, but the need for this kind of information outweighed her sympathy.

"Ernest," the woman addressed the supervisor watching the exchange with a sharp look. "I'm taking my lunch break early."

She undid her apron and folded it over her arms before stepping away from the counter. The cashier was giving her a concerned look but Aristille paid him no mind. She gave no gesture as she walked off, Luna walking a step behind with Tearju in her shadow as always.

They exited the supermarket, walked down the sidewalk, and took up a table outside of a Starbucks. Aristille let her arpon rest on her lap as her body slouched, drained of all energy as if this brisk walk had taken everything out of her. Luna did not ask for a seat as she knew Aristille would not respond and seated herself across. Tearju sat between them.

"You mentioned compensation?" Aristille began, her eyes meeting Luna's profile but not making direct contact.

"Yes, of course," Luna nodded and pulled out a slender envelope from her Dimensional Storage Space and slid it across the table. Aristille took it with indifference and didn't hesitate to check the contents. Luna waited patiently but watched the woman closely. Aristille did not count any of it but knew the amount was substantial, given her circumstances. Her expression hardened to one of self-loathing, as if she were taking a disgraceful job but could not refuse it.

She closed the envelope and let it rest on the table. She looked back at Luna, "Are you asking me about the duel between Val—" she bit her lower lip briefly. "Between Archmage lu Blanc and Archmage Stradt… or about that monster?"

Luna clasped her hands together at the table's edge and spoke solemnly, "I believe we both know why I am here. I have come across the thing that has taken everything away from you. I have spoken with the Hands and their information has been lacking. You are one, if not the only one, who has been against him and lived. I wish to know if this is an enemy I can defeat or one I must make amends with."

Aristille looked away, staring off into the parking lot. She didn't say anything as she was focused on something only she could see. A memory of that night or of her former master, Luna could not say. She waited for the woman to speak again.

"You are not the first to come to me," she spoke after Luna was wondering if she ever will. There was another pause before their eyes met for the first time. "Some have promised me vengeance. Some have offered me money just like you. Some thought I could be taken advantage of and become their tool. And every one of them thought I knew something about that monster that no one else did. That I witnessed some weakness within him that they could use against him. None of them left the city alive.

"There was one man who I believed could have been the one. He gave me hope I have not felt since my master was alive. I answered all his questions and he promised to slay that monster. He said it as true as the blue sky. I believed him.

"That monster defied truth by killing him instead. You are only as powerful as a third tier Elemental Effigy. You are nothing compared to Kaname Shisharo. Rolan does not forgive or forget. The only reason why I live today is because he does not… _cannot_ see me as a threat. But nor does it mean I am free to leave his city."

"...So it's true," Luna's voice was low. She could not deny the tinge of fear crawling through the depths of her heart. "Chase Rolan killed Kaname Shisharo. The Hands told me as much but I did not believe them. But I have exchanged words with that boy. I do not believe someone as young and arrogant as him killed a living legend."

"Those who do know only know Observer Shisharo came with a warrant for Rolan's head. Only one of them survived the confrontation."

Luna believed this woman. Aristille had met with the infamous Daydream's Sword. Considering the whereabouts of Shisharo's current location was unknown and he hadn't been making a racket for a few years, there could only be one conclusion. As much as she didn't want to admit it… Chase Rolan killed Kaname Shisharo.

But the question was _how_. How did Rolan kill such an impossible being? The Hands said he made a pact with the Judaic Leviathan. A creature that powerful could have given him what he needed to win. A dark miracle had been granted.

All Luna had to worry about was making sure the same miracle couldn't happen again.

"Tearju," Luna glanced at her mate, whos eyes flicked immediately over. "We are taking Lady lu Blanc's lunch break. Please buy her something from within. Do you have any preferences?" She quickly asked the woman sitting across her.

"I wouldn't say no to the chicken salad," Aristille answered before pulling out a few crumbled rolls of dollar bills from her jean pocket.

"Don't worry," Luna put up a hand and offered a friendly smile. "This will be our treat. It is the least I can do for asking about a sensitive topic."

"...Anything to drink?" Tearju asked in a quiet tone once Luna was done.

Aristille looked like she wanted to argue but quickly receded. "Unsweetened iced green tea. Thank you."

Tearju nodded before slipping away. She didn't make a noise.

"Would you like to continue now or after you eat?" Luna asked.

"I see you are set in having him as your enemy," Aristille spoke with acceptance. "I'll tell you what you want to know. Just know it will not save you."

"He killed members of my clan," Luna said gravely. "I also do not forget nor do I forgive. Perhaps he is as untouchable as you believe. That does not mean he is infallible. There are plenty of ways to make a man suffer without killing them."

Aristille had the look as though she had heard Luna's words before. "Before we begin, there is something I would like to correct. My name is Stella White. My original name belongs to the Magistrate and I have no right to use it. Please use my current name from now on."

Luna frowned. Anger began to swell up inside of her. Aristille… Stella's words told an entire story. She really did lose everything to that monster. Her master, her privilege, and even her name.

"...Very well, Miss White. Can you tell me about the night of the Cloverfield Park incident?"

She did. Without hesitation but also without emotion. Her lips moved and the occasional gesture was made with her hands. But her life was not in the story. How many times had she told the story of the worst night of her life? How many times before she grew completely numb to it? How many others before Luna came, asking for this woman's story?

Luna listened intently, watching Stella White and trying to imagine the former glory that was Aristille lu Blanc in her stead. She listened to the story of her master seeking something from Archmage Stradt, challenging her to a duel for its rights. Of how that monster intercepted their duel, fought Aristille and Archmage lu Blanc with a mixture of fire, ice, and shadow. Of how he overpowered the Archmage with his Acolyte blessings, the heretical workings of an Accuser, and the supposed-to-be impossible works of antimagic.

Luna understood something about Rolan. She understood how he was able to kill Valdius lu Blanc… and Kaname Shisharo.

He had been prepared. Just as how he had been able to kill her best fighters when their location and prowess should have been a secret. Just as how he knew about hers and Tearju's location on that night.

He was a schemer and a cheat. He did not fight fair. He was without honor and content with using any means to achieve victory, damn the consequences. Heresy meant nothing to him. Selling his soul to an eldritch being meant just as little.

He fought as someone who had everything to lose. He was desperate and cowardly, like an animal backed into a corner. He would easily sacrifice himself to protect what belonged to him.

Which meant he _has_ something to lose.

As she listened to Stella's story, a plan began to brew.

Rather than find out more about Rolan himself… perhaps she ought to learn more about those he surrounds himself with.

0-0-0

Christine would never admit it out loud but she loved watching Kevin run. She was always there for his practice sessions and during meets. It showed how much he loved the simplistic sport and how dedicated he was in improving his personal record. He was good at it too. He wasn't the fastest, per se, but he was faster than most of his peers.

But even at Kevin's fastest sprint, he could never hope to outrun a youkai. Yet… Chase could.

She felt an electric current flow through her body coming from him. It was a sensation not unlike youki only Acolytes had access to. Aura, if she remembered correctly. Chase was using it to enhance his body to outrun the two youkai. By no means was he moving faster, but his steps had a harder kick that traveled him further between each bound. He was gaining distance from the two behind them.

Only two of those brutes were chasing after them. The third stayed behind, licking his lips with a grotesquely long tongue as he stalked towards Lillian. Kevin, the chivalrous moron that he was, stood in front of her to protect both Lillian and Lindsay.

That was all she saw as Chase stopped in front of the next building, kicked open the door with a force equal to a battering ram, and flung them both inside. The lights were left on and there were no people. They entered a mechanic's shop with the tools discarded. Whatever barrier the youkai put up had the workers leave the premises.

"Stay back there," he instructed as he set her down. He pointed towards the furthest wall where some of the heavier tools were stored. He turned his back on her… and put his gun back under his shirt.

"I can help!" she clenched a fist tight around the fabric on her chest.

His head turned to look at her her over his shoulder. He removed his sunglasses, revealing a glowing pair of red and blue eyes that lit up his face. "I don't need it. Now move back. You're in the splash zone."

There was something in both his eyes and his tone that made her heart clench. A shiver swept through her spine. She took a step back, not from his warning… but by pure instinct to get away from him. There was nothing but murder in his presence.

The two youkai stepped through the fallen door. The leader's feet crushed it as though his size was three times his human appearance. "You're not fully human, are you? You smell human but no human can move like that. You're no youkai. What are you?"

Chase didn't say anything right away. He watched as the leader made a signal with a hand over his shoulder. His goon understood, crossed the room to the far left, and dragged a heavy shelf over towards the door. He had sealed their exit.

"...Freeze," Chase said. No, commanded.

Christine immediately felt the temperature plummet. Ice coated the floor, the walls, the tools and lifts, and the ceiling. But she was left untouched. A circle of concrete around her was left untouched as if the cold had moved around her. She knew that if she were to stick her hand outside of this range would her fingers freeze over.

The goon in the back was left petrified. His skin and clothes hardened as the flash freeze left him as a living statue. He began to turn blue as ice continued to sprout onto his being. He tried to fight it with raw strength, but his own body was fighting against him as muscles contracted. A guttural squeal escaped his throat as his eyes flicked around in search of something to save him. Christine watched in horror as the ice began to freeze those too.

But the leader had some sort of resistance. He flinched as his clothes were petrified. Yet a dull, purplish aura surrounded him. His face and body began to warp as he was exuding his youki to fight against whatever Chase had just unleashed. His muscles expanded to the point of ripping through his clothes. His overall size increased three times his human form with white fur sprouting all over his body. His face became that of a monkey's.

Christine understood this youkai was a sarugami, one of the higher levels of the monkey youkai family with some divinity in their veins.

"You!" the sarugami howled as he towered over them both. His body was stiff but could still move, unlike his underling. "Those eyes! This power! You're an Acolyte! I thought your kind doesn't get involved with outside affairs!"

"Fuck you," Chase's voice was flat and unafraid despite there being a monster capable of snapping him like a twig in front of him. "I _was_ minding my own business."

"So this is the power that defeated Chris," the sarugami spoke with reverence and awe. He bared his fangs with a hungry smile. He shook his fur as if to shed a layer of snow off of him. And just like that, his youki purged the cold energies Chase was using against him. Steam began to rise under his feet. "He was the strongest amongst us. His fist was harder than mine and he ruled these lands on brute strength. But against the elemental forces of an Acolyte? He would have no defense against that. But if I defeat you and the yukionna, _I_ will have surpassed him."

Christine knew she couldn't defeat this sarugami. Even beating Chris had been a pure fluke. She wasn't very good at using her powers, especially when she loathed them and focused more on suppressing them instead. All she could do was wear Chris down until he made a mistake, slipped, and fell down a flight of steps… before getting hit by an oncoming bicycler.

Against this sarugami's natural fur defense, she couldn't hope to do anything to him. Even Chase, who unleashed a technique only the best of her breed could use after perhaps a century or two of training, couldn't faze this youkai. This was their natural enemy. And Chase, despite being an Acolyte, was just as squishy as the next human. This youkai would kill him instantly.

"Hey, Christine," Chase looked away from the sarugami to glare at her. His eyes were just as murderous as before. "Tell anyone about what you're about to see and I'll do the same things to Kevin."

"W-What?" her voice was small. "What are you…?"

"Enough talk!" the sarugami roared and raised its fists up into the air. "We battle!"

Christine screamed as it brought its fists down upon them both. Chase's body flickered like an old television's screen before disappearing. As the strike came down on her, a pillar of ice sprouted out of the ground before her. No, it was more so created on the spot as if some invisible being poured water and froze it instantly. The sarugami's fists crashed onto the pillar with enough force to shake the entire building, knocking Christine to the ground. A crack appeared but the pillar held firm.

There came another thunderous eruption and the sarugami let out a roar of pain. Chase appeared and had driven his heel into the beast's knee with an enhanced kick. It wasn't enough to break it but enough to make the sarugami lose its balance. It swatted at Chase, who disappeared again with another flicker of movement. Before the sarugami could recover, a blast of cold struck at his side. Chase had a palm raised and directed a stream of cold energy at its face. It did nothing but annoy the sarugami, who put up a hand to block it.

It lunged at Chase, crashing into a jack and knocking one of the raised cars onto its side. But Chase was nowhere to be seen… until he threw a snowball at the sarugami from further within the garage.

"Do you think this is funny?!" bellowed the sarugami. "You fight without honor! Your cowardice will only get you—"

Another snowball cut off the sarugami's words. It raged and charged at Chase on all fours. Chase didn't flicker away this time, only leaping away (albeit at a greater length than a normal human could) when it tried to swipe at him. The sarugami gave chase, swatting and flailing its arms around wildly. Everything within the garage workshop was being knocked aside like a child rampaging on its Lego sets.

Christine's eyes met Chase's. It was a brief glance as he went back to focusing on the sarugami. But when he did so, his two blue eyes suddenly turned red.

"Burn," Chase spat as pure hatred filled his voice.

A fiery eruption struck at the sarugami's chest. The flames were so intense Christine had to put up both her arms over her face even with the distance and the sarugami's body acting as a shield. The enemy youkai let out a howl of both surprise and pain.

Chase had drawn the sarugami away from her for this purpose. After all, he said she was within the splash zone.

"Ice _and_ fire?!" the sarugami staggered back as its chest was smoking. It still stood strong and ready to fight. If anything, it sounded even more excited. "Of course! Red and blue eyes! I should have known those were your elements—!"

"Burn!" Chase demanded of the creature. It was not a spell or technique. He was commanding the youkai to burn and his nature as an Acolyte would make decree come true. Another blast of fire came out of nowhere, combusting into existence directly on the youkai.

A flicker of purple light surged out of the sarugami. His youki had mitigated the damage just as it had with the first cold attack. But something was different this time. The use of youki was sudden, if not erratic. What's more, the sarugami took a cautious step back from Chase.

"Wait," fear was in the sarugami's voice. "How are you bypassing my—"

" _Burn_!" Chase roared. His voice demanded nothing but pain and torment be inflicted on his youkai. As if this person had wronged him in such a way he swore eternal vengeance. His eyes lit up further, brightening the area around him and turning the rest of his face into a shadow.

Purple youki coated the sarugami… before some unseen wind brushed it off.

In the next instance, the sarugami was lit on fire.

Christine had to look away as the flames were hotter than she could bear. She moved to place herself behind the pillar he created. Even then her skin felt like it was about to melt. She clenched her eyes shut as her eyes began to burn. The deafening screams of the sarugami echoed throughout the compact garage.

She heard it thrash and flail. It was in agonizing pain. Blind pain as it could not form any words. The sarugami only screamed… before even that turned into garbled nonsense. There were a few more sounds of a struggle until… just the sound of a crackling fire.

The heat vanished as quick as it had come. When she opened her eyes, the ice was dissolving. Not melting or evaporating, just dissolving into nothingness. The cold was also gone. It was almost as if all of this had been an illusion.

But when she stepped away from the halfway eaten ice pillar, she put a hand over her mouth. She felt sick.

On the other side of the garage was the charred remains of the sarugami. The giant body of the monkey youkai was blackened to near-beyond recognition. The fires had been put out as Chase released the technique. But there was no reversing the damage it had wrought. Or the smell…

All the junk food they had at karaoke rose up to her throat. A trash bin was in front of her. She didn't think about it as she grabbed the edge and hurled everything into it. She gasped for air, which had her inhaling both her extract and the stench of cooked meat and hair. She went back into the trash for another few rounds.

When there was nothing left, a steady hand helped her stand up straight. She wobbled and leaned against something— Chase. He had even held her hair during her puke, the back of her mind told her. His hands were on her shoulders while her entire body shook. Her eyes were lost as they stared without focus on the burnt body.

It wasn't the first time she saw a dead body. The world of the youkai was a dark one, even in sanctioned areas like this one. It was survival of the fittest. Perhaps if she faced this youkai he might have had the decency to leave her at an inch of her life. But in most cases, you either die or kill the one trying to kill you.

"Thank you… Chase," she said, though the gratitude was weak. A part of her wanted to know if there could have been a better way. The death was unclean. But she kept her opinion to herself. In the end, Chase _wasn't_ a youkai and he had saved them both.

He didn't say a word as he patted her shoulder and stepped away from her. She watched him cross the room, approach the petrified goon, and pick up a large wrench off of the floor.

"Chase…?" she called out to him, though her heart dreaded what she suspected.

"Remember what I said," he said while taking a batter's stance. The youkai could not defend himself.

Before she could stop him, if such a thing were possible, he brought the wrench around. It did not have the length or support of a bat. But the electric feeling in the air told her Chase had done something to it. It smashed against the side of the youkai's head.

Christine let out a gasp of horror as her hands shot over her mouth. She saw the head shatter into red and gray chunks. No blood was spilt. The youkai had been frozen thoroughly.

"Not a word," Chase said to her before tossing the wrench away.

Christine couldn't help but look at both the shattered chunks of frozen skull and brain matter. Her eyes drifted over towards the blackened body. In both cases, she couldn't help but imagining Kevin being either victim.

Law of the jungle or not, Lillian's mate was a psychopath.

Rather than move the shelf out of the doorway, Chase stepped towards the main garage door and clicked a button. The shutter began to open, letting fresh air into the area.

"Let's go see if any of the other kids are alive still," he told her in a casual tone.

0-0-0

"So let me get this straight," the officer jabbed his pen into his notepad as he looked at each of them. He let out a weary sigh, "You kids got ambushed by some gangbangers. You split up to confuse them. And when your group was getting pummeled by one of them… a naked lady flew out of nowhere, drop kicked him, said something about 'Master Kevin shouldn't meet me just yet like this', and dashed away?"

"Y-Yes," Kevin said weakly, his head bowed as his cheeks lit up. He wasn't the only one as Lindsay continued to stare at the floor and Lillian couldn't look at the officer in the eye. His only comfort came from the cat purring on his lap. It was the same one he brought home this morning. It had to have gotten out of his apartment somehow and wound up here. But boy was he glad he found it.

It wasn't long before the youkai barrier wore off and human traffic began to come back into the area. But before regular pedestrians returned, emergency response showed up instead. Firemen, ambulance, and police were in the parking lot. Kevin and his friends were being questioned.

The officer gave the three of them a flat look before his eyes slid over to the other pair. "And you? What do you have to say about what happened?"

Christine's skin was pale— paler than her usual self. Her hands were clutched at her front as she split glances between Chase and Kevin.

"The ringleader and one of his mooks was after her," Chase answered in her stead.

"I wasn't asking you," said the officer. "I'll get to you in a sec."

"Well I'm telling you," Chase countered in a challenging tone. "They thought she was the top dog around here and thought to challenge her for the terf. I got them away from the kids who can't fight back, two of the three anyways, and then killed them."

Kevin felt all of the blood drain out of his body. Now, as a human, he had never seen anyone kill someone. Even with all the craziness happening since Christine entered his life, the level of violence never went any further than a few broken bones. Even the weird bullfrog youkai just now only got away with a mild concussion.

Chase had killed the other two. And openly admitted it in front of an officer of the law.

"B-Beloved…" Lillian's voice was small while her complexion had paled to a pasty white. "Maybe you shouldn't joke about these kinds of things! Not to a police officer! Not to someone who can arrest you! I can't mate with someone who's behind bars!"

"...You wanna go that by me again?" the officer snapped his notepad shut with a loud click. All of the teenagers flinched. The man's eyes sharpened dangerously.

"Cut the crap," Chase said as he removed his sunglasses to fully face the officer. Kevin was stunned to see one eye was red and the other blue. And glowing dimly. "You know two of the girls are youkai. You know I am an Acolyte. And I know you're not exactly human yourself."

The officer didn't say anything for the longest time. His eyes glared coldly at Chase. His next words were low and lethal. "Regardless of the circumstances, this went beyond self-defense. Turn around and put your hands behind your back."

"You can try to arrest me," Chase said flatly. He wasn't fazed as the officer put a hand on his firearm. Instead, his eyes drifted off towards the emergency response units spread between the two buildings. They then drifted and lingered on the curious pedestrians being kept outside the parking lot.

"...Damn you," the officer snarled. Kevin's eyes widened as he saw fangs. The hand went off the firearm as the man stood straight. His eyes were also slanted like a cat's. They flicked across their party before returning to Chase. "Wait here. I will need to report this."

"Sure thing," Chase said with casual detachment. Anything else the officer had to say had lost his interest.

The officer didn't say anything more as he stepped away and pulled out his personal cell phone from his pocket. He brought it up to his ear and didn't wait long for it to answer. None of them could hear what he was saying as he spoke quietly and away from them.

Kevin was going through a full panic as he watched the officer's face distort into hardened rage. He was dead meat. He was going to get arrested for being affiliated with a murderer. Worse, his mother was going to kill him once she heard about this.

"K-Kevin…" Lindsay's voice was shaking. Her hand clasped over his and he realized her body was shaking more so. She looked just as terrified as he felt. "A-Are we going to juvie? Or worse? I don't think that guy is a real cop. D-Do you think he's like Christine? Are we ever going to see our family again?"

"E… Everything will be fine," Kevin offered her as he forced the fear back for her sake. He flipped his hand over and gave hers a good squeeze. Maybe too hard but he wasn't in full control of himself either. It was taking everything he had to not crap his pants. "I promise. My mom happens to know a good lawyer. We'll be fine."

Lindsay gave him a weak but appreciative smile.

The officer returned, his eyes ablaze and brows pressed into a straight line. He extended his phone to Chase. "He wants to talk to you."

Chase took the phone and put it an inch away from his ear. "Monstrang," he greeted dully.

Monstrang? No, it couldn't be. It had to be a different Monstrang than the one Kevin knew. After all, Davin Monstrang worked in the newspaper distribution center. He was too busy printing the local paper. He was a nobody! There was no way his boss was this much involved in the youkai world and secretly controlled the police!

"Yeah," Chase said. Though no matter how hard Kevin tried, he could not hear the voice on the other end. "Saved the ice girl. Yukionna, got it. I didn't get him involved; if anything, he invoked it all by saying the words that must never be spoken. Yeah, those words. Charbroiled, frozen solid, and, uh, drop kicked apparently. I didn't see that last one. He survived apparently. Got it."

His red and blue eyes moved over their group. They looked directly at Lillian while he continued to speak into the phone. "I would like to leave as soon as this is over."

Lillian shrank in herself.

"The Observatory's still planning something," he looked away from her and said something Kevin didn't understand. Lillian looked interested and… Christine looked worried. "They're gonna use a Spectral Barrier so it'll be kept hidden. They're just waiting for the right moment now. I already told you earlier. Yeah. That's fine. Hopefully that is the case but I think we both know how things usually work."

"What's the Observatory?" Kevin leaned over to Christine and asked in a stage-whisper.

"They're a group of people that Chase belongs to," she answered in as low as a voice for him to hear. As well as Lindsay and Lillian. And probably Chase and the officer too. "You've probably figured it out but Chase is an Acolyte. They're human but… special. I'll tell you more about them later."

Human, but special. With a race named Acolytes, did that mean they were some type of warrior priests? Did Chase have the power of _God_?! Did he know some crazy martial art and had Black Keys hidden under his clothes? Lillian did mention something about vampires not that long ago...

Kevin shook his head. Lindsay gave a weary sigh. First youkai and now Acolytes? Not to mention vampires might be an actual thing. What's next? Magic was real too?!

Okay. Magic was where he drew the line.

Chase handed the phone back to the officer. "Do you need anything else before I take off?"

"Just get out of here and never come back," the older man muttered lowly. His eyes swept across their group and Kevin froze during the half second theirs met. Nothing happened as the officer dismissed them and walked off towards his squad car.

"What the hell was that?" Kevin demanded once the man was out of earshot. Though… if he wasn't human he might have super hearing or something.

"Trade secret," Chase's answer was blunt and impassive. He put his hands on his hips while he addressed the group, "Bottom line is I've overstayed my welcome here. I was asked politely to return home."

"Trade secret?" Kevin's brows furrowed. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Chase gave him one long stare before deciding it wasn't worth the effort to answer. The act made Kevin's blood boil.

"Kevin…" Lindsay whispered beside him. He realized their hands were connected— _had been_ connected the entire time. The contact with someone from the opposite sex temporarily froze his anger solid. "Remember how Christine didn't tell us right away she was a youkai? I think Chase is the same way. Besides… he saved her. Maybe we shouldn't pry?"

Before Kevin could stop his emotions from warring inside his head, the cat sitting on his lap suddenly tried to claw at Lindsay's hand. Their connection broke as Lindsay brought her hand back quickly. The cat leapt off of Kevin and ran towards the edge of the parking lot. It disappeared into the bushes.

"Hey, wait!" Kevin stood and wanted to follow it. But he knew it would only run away from him if he tried. He didn't know why it had suddenly clawed at Lindsay. It was a stray after all. Who knows if it had some kind of trauma before he found it?

"I would like some answers," Christine said suddenly.

Kevin turned back around and saw Chase put his sunglasses back on. He shifted his balance and looked at Christine. "Despite what I told you and what you saw in there, you still want to try me?"

Christine frowned and looked away. She looked guilty. "I… owe you my life. I do thank you for that. But there are some things that I want to know. I will not betray the… promise I made there. This is so I can come to terms with what happened. And for Kevin and Lindsay, who have no part in our world."

Her eyes met Kevin's briefly before they flickered back over to Chase. While hers was determined, if not pleading to have her way, his was moderately annoyed.

"That's not fair," Lindsay interrupted, her voice full of frustration. She moved to take Kevin's spot, grabbed Christine by the shoulders, and forced the smaller girl to face her. "Christine, you can't just say something like that. You're our friend. We are a part of your world just as much as you are a part of ours. Don't go deciding things like that."

Christine looked astonished for a moment, her face growing a light shade of blue. Her eyes hardened next, "I-I'm not saying it to be mean or anything, Lindsay! I am a youkai and you and Kevin are both human. Look what happened today! This isn't the first time! If Chase wasn't here… I wouldn't have been able to protect you. Kevin would have done something stupid and would have gotten himself hurt. Do you remember what Chris did to him before I could get there in time?"

Kevin's fists shook at his side. His back ached at the phantom pain left behind by Chris' claw marks. They had healed while he was unconscious— someone Christine had promised not to tell him about had done it. It had happened because he was a weak human. He didn't have a means of fighting a youkai.

But…

"Of course I would have done something stupid," Kevin argued with fire rising in his chest. "I'm not going to just stand there and let someone I care about get hurt. What else could I do in a situation like that? Run away?"

"Yes," Chase was the one who answered bluntly. As if Kevin were the biggest moron on the planet. "You could have run out of the barrier's range and called for help. Their target was Christine, which meant you'd have the chance to elude them while she kept them busy."

"Can you stay out of this?" Kevin hissed at him.

"Can you fight a single youkai?" Chase rebuked with a raised brow. "Just one. Any one you've come across. Do you even have any martial training at all? I'll even accept the one-day trial mall karate."

Kevin's fists shook a little harder. He really wanted to deck this guy. Yet he knew the moment he tried would Chase mop the floor with him. He didn't see what happened in the next building over but it was Chase who had killed the two youkai. Kevin… couldn't so much as make them look his way.

"Beloved," Lillian moved to his side and put a hand on his arm. She pleaded with him through her eyes. "This is their moment. Maybe we should let them be?"

He considered her words briefly. "I suppose it's none of my business if the squishy mundies want to get involved in the moonlit world of monsters. Fine. It was nice meeting you all. All things considered, it was fun."

"Wait!" Christine jumped to her feet before Chase could finish waving them off. "I'm not done with you yet! I deserve to know something!"

Chase gave her as brief as a glance as he had with Kevin before. The long and silent stare before deciding responding wasn't worth anything. He put an arm around Lillian's shoulder, forced her to turn away, and they both began to walk towards their rental car. Lillian was reluctant with how she resisted his guide as well as the sorrowful look on her face.

"What happened to you, Chase Rolan!" Christine demanded. "I want to know what changed! What happened to the human boy who had nothing to do with our world?!"

That got Chase to stop.

"Christine…?" Kevin stared at her. He couldn't remember if Chase ever shared his last name with them. But Christine knew it. "You… You know this guy?"

She wouldn't look away from Chase's back as she answered, "It was a long time ago. His father was visiting a client in Alaska and brought Chase with him. We played together at the daycare center for the entire week. He let me play with his Gameboy and got me hooked on Pokemon. He was one of the few friends I made there. And I'm pretty sure he wasn't—"

Christine suddenly stopped talking as Chase spun around and threw his sunglasses off. His eyes were red and blue and glowing dimly. They were locked hard on her. For a moment, Kevin was terrified for Christine. The young man across of them looked ready to kill. Kevin instinctively wanted to move in front of Christine but… his body wouldn't listen to him. He was petrified and could not so much as look away from Chase's eyes.

"I told you, I'm not that boy," he said in a low but clear voice. The light in his eyes died until they saw the color dilute into a dull brown. Kevin realized he hadn't even been able to breathe with whatever Chase had done to them. "I don't owe you anything. You and I are no better than strangers."

"Maybe now…" Christine said in a small voice. "Maybe now we're strangers. But you also said people _change_. I want to know why my friend became a stranger. That's all I want to know."

Chase glared harder at her. But his eyes did not change colors again. He didn't try to assault them with whatever psychic attack he used.

On another note, Kevin added psychics to that growing list of things he shared the planet with.

"Beloved," once again, Lillian tried to sway him. "We can stay a little while longer, can't we? Just to answer Christine? Think about how she feels. I don't think she'll ever let it go. And… I think it will bother you too. I've seen the way you look at her."

Slowly, Chase's head turned to stare at Lillian. His eyes were flat. Hers were sorrowful in an almost jealous sort of way. But they were also full of understanding and patience.

"Um…" Lindsay spoke up, raising her hand to get his attention. Chase continued to stare at Lillian as she went on, "You also kinda have our stuff in your trunk."

"For fuck's sake," Chase grumbled beneath his breath, though everyone heard it. "Fine. But not here. If you want to know that badly, get in the fucking car."

Kevin wasn't sure if he wanted to get in the car after learning what kind of person Chase really was. His mother might never find his body. Either way, Chase wouldn't wait for them. He turned away from them and headed back to the car. He didn't guide Lillian this time, leaving her behind. She hurried after him.

Christine looked at Lindsay and Kevin before saying in a grim tone, "You don't have to come if you don't want to. It might be better if you didn't."

"We're not leaving you," Kevin blurted out before his mind could smack him. He may have jumped in front of a bullet on that one.

"No, we're not," Lindsay agreed and took Christine's hand. She took charge as she pulled Christine along after Chase and Lillian. "We stick together no matter what. Right, Kevin?"

"Yeah," he said and followed after them.

The car was already on by the time they reached it. Kevin had a feeling the only reason why it didn't pull out was because Lillian was the one waiting for them by the passenger door. They all got in together; Lillian in shotgun and the three of them in the back. Christine sat between them.

The ride was silent. Kevin gulped and made sure to keep his eyes locked on Chase at all times. The other male did not pay him any mind as he drove at a leisurely pace. He needed no guide this time, not that anyone knew where he was taking them.

0-0-0

Kevin expected a vacant warehouse or out of the city and into the desert. You know, a place for a murder scene and to dispose of the bodies. To his, and probably everyone else's surprise, Chase drove into the parking lot of the local park. Green fields stretched in every direction with a basketball quart on one side and a soccer field on the other. Between them was the children's playground and the studio used as an activity center and snack bar. There was an icecream truck parked with people lined up to order not too far from them.

Without a word, Chase turned off the ignition and got out of the car. Everyone mimicked his motions and stepped out of the luxury of air conditioning. They must have made quite the sight; a group of teenagers arriving at the park and following the guy in black as if they were taking the Green Mile. The people at the icecream truck and hanging here and there were looking at them curiously. The only one who seemed unbothered by this was Chase.

He led them towards the closed snack bar and onto one of the square tables outside. No one was using them as they had been baking in the sun for some time. Before anyone took a seat, he placed his hand flat on the surface. Kevin thought his hand was going to cook but… a cold breeze swept brushed through him. Chase took a seat and everyone took theirs. The plastic wasn't so much cooled but more so the heat had been sapped away.

"...I believe you said you were going to tell them about Acolytes?" Chase began once the silence dragged on long enough.

"I did…" Christine nodded slowly with her brows scrunching slightly. "But wouldn't it be better if you explained things to them?"

"I want to hear from an outsider's impression," he said.

"I guess," she dipped her head before looking at Lindsay and Kevin individually. "Acolytes are… a type of human who have special powers. They can control elements like fire and air and water and much, much more. I don't know how many different Acolytes there are but most can only control one element. Together, they formed an organization called the Observatory. And… w-well, I'm not sure what exactly they do. The best I understood it was that they hunt demons… or something."

"So you're like, what, an exorcist?" Kevin asked Chase.

"If you squint hard enough, sure," Chase shrugged one shoulder. "Acolytes are a sort of metahuman who, according to their beliefs, have divine blood in them. Their powers come from some higher being they don't seem to understand, almost as bad as the Judaic God. They believe their purpose in life is to use their powers to save humanity by killing the demons Christine mentioned. They're called Nightmares, by the way."

"...Why couldn't you have said that?" Christine grumbled.

"Demons, huh?" Lindsay gave a nervous laugh. "Are they anything like youkai? Folklore thought they were demons too. What are… Nightmares like?"

Chase didn't answer right away. "It's best you don't know."

"It can't be worse than some of the worst youkai out there," Kevin threw out there.

"Let's just say they're here at the moment. Maybe even the size of an ant. But you know how colonies work what with their numbers and all. And let's even say they can only pick up a single grain of sand's worth. How long does it take before their numbers shred you down to nothing if you got their attention?"

"...Grain's worth of… what?" Lindsay dared to ask.

Chase didn't answer.

"Chase," Christine spoke up in a sharp tone. She stared directly at them. "Why are you talking as if you yourself aren't an Acolyte? Aren't you a part of the Observatory?"

"What _is_ the Observatory?" Kevin asked. He nearly flinched when Christine shot him a vicious glare. Even he knew he wasn't supposed to redirect her question.

"The Observatory is the one and only organization that governs over all Acolytes on the planet," Chase answered readily. "While they consist of other factions within their order, the Observatory stands united in their fight against the Nightmares. But, just like with the youkai, they focus most of their time hiding from the normal human civilization. You can thank the Spanish Inquisition for that. In order to make sure the Acolytes survive as a species, the Observatory assimilated its fellow Acolyte orders or crushed them completely.

"Anyone who does not agree with the way they run things are either branded as an Accuser or a Rogue. Accusers are the most hedonistic sons of bitches who dabble with Nightmare arts or experiment on their fellow Acolytes. Rogues are generically everyone else; either a bastard the Acolyte parent never learned about, the Acolyte who genuinely turned traitor, or the moron who pissed off the wrong noble. Both are looked down on by the Observatory and receive a visit from their Inquisitor or Clean-Up branch.

"To answer your question," he pointed at Christine before cupping his hands together. "I consider myself an Acolyte only as a title, not a species. There was a time when I was a normal human like Kevin and Lindsay. I am not a member of the Observatory. For being born as a mundane and obtaining their divine powers later in life, they've branded me as an Accuser. That's what happened to me, Christine."

There was a heavy silence around the table.

"They… tried to…" Lindsay began but could not finish the question. Christine looked paler than usual. Lillian was the least affected, having heard this before perhaps. Still, she wanted to help him in some way but didn't know how to.

Kevin felt sick to his stomach. Chase couldn't be that much older than him; maybe a year or two. Or maybe they were the same age and his mannerisms made him seem that much older. Kevin had only gone through a few scuffles with youkai— Chris being the most dangerous and clawing into his back. Yet none of them had been life threatening. They were no more than supernatural muggings.

Chase had an entire secret order send hitmen after him. It would explain his crude behavior, his violent reaction against Juan, and the lack of hesitation or remorse when killing the youkai after Christine.

"How?" Christine's voice was a blend of shock and awe. "Chase, a normal human doesn't just obtain powers like that outside of manga. How did you become an Acolyte?"

"It's not a trade secret but… it is _my_ secret," he shrugged back in what normally would be seen as an apology. Kevin didn't get that impression from him.

"How long have you been an Acolyte then?" Christine asked in a timid voice. Her hands were clutching tightly on her skirt under the table. Her face was a cross between disgust and frustration. Like Lillian, she wanted to help him in some way but knew she couldn't.

"Long enough to figure out how to fight back," Chase's answer was flat. "Now that you have your answer, what are you going to do with this information?"

"I…" her eyes darted away from his in search of something. They shifted suddenly as she found whatever it was… but hesitated in sharing. She bit her lip and spoke reluctantly, "I know somebody. If I ask… he can protect you. He wouldn't turn down a request from me."

"...You look constipated thinking about that guy," Chase commented dryly.

"I-I'm serious about this, okay?!" Christine blurted out, her face flashing blue with the temperature dropping considerably.

"You should probably spend that ticket on Kevin or Lindsay," Chase sat up a little straighter and crossed his arms. He looked at the two humans before going back to Christine. "Both, if you can. They'll get more use out of it. And as you saw, I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"But you don't understand!" Christine's frustrations rose. "This isn't something you should just shrug off. A few no-name youkai is one thing. Those are things I can protect them from—"

Chase raised a single brow.

"...W-With a little help," her blush intensified. "But if the Observatory ever gets serious about you, they won't just send a simple squad. If you ever step out of line or make a mistake… if you ever reveal their existence to the public, they will send their stronger members after you. What if they send their strongest? What… What if Kaname Shisharo himself comes for you?"

There was a heavy amount of fear in Christine's voice. Her eyes were pleading at him to accept her offer.

"The youkai killer?" Lillian gasped, her complexion paling and eyes widening. "H-He's an Acolyte? B-Beloved…"

"Who's that?" Kevin asked as he and Lindsay were clueless.

Christine took a deep breath. It seemed as though her explanation was going to take a lot out of her. "Kaname Shisharo was a human capable of killing many monsters across the globe. He didn't just focus on the demons of the Acolytes— the Nightmares. He received a reputation for going out of his way to kill any type of monster that plagued humanity. He became notorious around our community for killing one of the three kyuubi, Hagaromo Gitsune. Her reincarnation has yet to enter another cycle. Some speculate he killed her forever."

"...People like that actually exist?" Lindsay said with heavy disbelief. Rather, she wanted to pass it off as an exaggerated urban legend. Maybe it was blown up out of proportion. But Christine seemed to believe in it. She and Kevin both chose to believe in her words.

"You're preaching to the choir, Christine," Chase disregarded her words entirely. "I have friends, so you don't need to worry. They might not be as influential as yours but the Observatory won't dare to cross them. Besides, haven't you heard? Observer Shisharo's dead."

Christine sputtered for a moment before she collected herself. Her voice was exasperated. "Dead? That monster? Where did you hear that from?!"

"Trade secret," his response was quick and ready. He said nothing else when she gave him an expectant look. He wasn't going to elaborate any further. It was his gaze that told them he was so sure of this information and that it couldn't be questioned. As if he was there when such an impossible being died.

"Christine," Lillian spoke up with a reassuring, soft smile. "Beloved is very famous back in Los Angeles. The group of vampires that attacked me fled as soon as they heard his name. No one has tried anything since. Plus he was the former Grave Keeper to the queen of the city."

"One of the queens," Chase corrected.

Christine was stunned into silence as she stared at Lillian. She pointed a finger at Chase in a silent question. Chase watched as Lillian gave a proud smile and nod.

"You act like you know what that means," Chase commented to her.

"Um… What's a Grave Keeper?" Kevin asked in a weary tone.

"Los Angeles has a queen?" Lindsay looked just as tired as he felt. "More than one, I mean?"

"I… don't know much about that," Christine admitted. "I only know one of the four Youkai Saints has set up a safezone in Los Angeles. But as for a Grave Keeper… they're humans who protect vampires while they sleep. Their job is to make sure no one disrupts their sleep and expose them to sunlight. Not just anyone can fulfill this task. If the vampire is a queen of Los Angeles, then it means she's very important and has a lot of competition."

"Are you convinced now I can take care of myself?" Chase asked with a bit of an annoyed edge in his voice. "The boy you once knew is dead, Christine. I'm a completely different person. Do you have anything else you'd like to know or can I be on my way?"

Christine pressed her lips into a thin line as she stared at him. She looked heartbroken before closing her eyes and letting out a soft breath. When she opened them again, she was full of acceptance. "No. I suppose you aren't the boy from before. But… that doesn't mean you and I are strangers. You saved my life. We… T-That is to say Kevin and Lindsay had fun today. Things could have been better if those youkai didn't assault us."

"If you say so," he gave a lighthearted shrug. "I only came here for a quick job and stayed by a whim. We'll probably never see each other again."

"Y-You mean…" Christine looked and sounded hurt. "I can't talk to you again? N-Not that I wanted your phone number or anything..."

Everyone noticed Lillian move a little closer to Chase while giving the yukionna a flat stare.

"I don't think your boyfriend will like that," Chase responded with another shrug.

"W-W-W-Why would K-K-Kevin of all people be my b-boyfriend?!" she blurted out with her face turning blue again. She slammed one hand on the table while jabbing a finger in the aforementioned boy's direction. "W-Who would want to date someone like him?"

"...I didn't say Kevin was your boyfriend," he returned patiently. When Christine shook in her seat and choked on her next words, he continued, "And take a stranger's advice. Or don't. You'll never get what you want if you keep behaving like this."

"For what it's worth…" Lindsay spoke when Christine was too busy sulking for… whatever reasons Kevin couldn't figure out. His school crush twirled a finger around one of her hairs while staring at the table's surface. "Thanks. For everything. For today at the mall, karaoke, and when those jerks showed up. And right now. For this. You really care about her, don't you?"

"Lindsay?" Kevin blinked and looked at her.

She smiled at him and kept playing with her hair. "It's something I kinda figured out early on. He wasn't being an ass just to be mean. I think he was trying to protect all of us. Christine specifically and us because we're her friends. He's kinda like Christine. No, I have to say he's _exactly_ like Christine."

Kevin didn't understand. It must have shown on his face because Lindsay gave him a long sigh of defeat. As if she couldn't figure out how to explain rocket science to a child.

Chase let out a small sigh as he looked up at the sky. He tapped a finger on the bicep of his arm while his scowl furrowed. "In a way, sure. I didn't have many friends growing up. Could probably count them on one hand and fingers to spare. I can recall an odd little girl who the other kids didn't play with. She got along with a boy who was also an outcast. Neither of them talked to each other as she sat in a corner with her arms wrapped around her legs. And he had his head bowed in his game. Yet they somehow managed to play together without sharing a single word.

"I suppose a normal person would try to reconnect after meeting again," he said with a thoughtful tone, lowering his head to look at Lindsay. "But my life has made me anything but normal. I didn't care to learn anything more about Christine after figuring things out. I still don't. The reason why I put so much effort into saving her has nothing to do with an old friendship. Even now, she and I are nothing more than what you and I have right now.

"I saved her because I wish someone had saved me. It's why I do anything."

The mood soured once again as they were reminded of Chase's circumstances.

"Beloved," Lillian's voice was soft, concerned, and scared all at once. "Is that why you…?"

She wouldn't look at him as she had her head bowed and fingers over her lips. She was deep in thought as she received a piece to a puzzle she needed to complete the picture. She didn't like whatever conclusion she was coming to.

"Regardless," Kevin spoke up, loud enough to snap everyone out of their funk. He looked directly at Chase, who was giving him a sideways glance. "Thank you, Chase. I can't thank you enough. I… I don't know. Can I buy you an ice cream or something?"

Chase's head recoiled as a sharp noise escaped through his nose. A laugh? A snort? It sounded more like the kind of guttural growl his boss would give. He was taken by surprise by Kevin's offer. "Ice cream? That's… You know what? Sure. Why the hell not?"

Just like that, the sour mood was lifted. Lindsay was looking at Kevin with admiration and appreciation. It made his face burn as he quickly looked away. "D-Does anyone else want anything?"

"Maybe just a Gatorade," Lindsay said as she fanned the collar of her shirt. It wasn't like Lillian's so he didn't see anything he shouldn't have. "It's a scorcher out here and we're kinda sitting in the middle of the sun."

"I don't think it's _that_ bad," Christine said to her, who was dressed in a thick, black, gothic Lolita dress. For an ice maiden, Christine had an unnatural tolerance for heat. She coughed into her hand and gave Kevin a sideways look, not fully meeting his eyes. "I-If you're buying, I would appreciate a drink too."

He nodded before turning his gaze towards Lillian. She was momentarily startled. Did she not expect the same offer be given to her? It's just common courtesy.

"Chase, can you pick something out for me?" she looked at her boyfriend, clasping her hands together and giving him a loving smile. "You know what I like."

"I really don't but I'll see what there is," he said before climbing out of his seat.

"Be right back," Kevin said to them before heading towards the still busy ice cream truck. The line had at least died down considerably. He and Chase stood in line, silence between them.

"Is what you said true?" Kevin began in what couldn't be longer than thirty seconds of intolerance. The silence was eating away at him.

"First rule of Fight Club," Chase muttered.

"What?"

The other boy's head slowly turned. His eyes bore down into Kevin's with a piercing gaze that saw as far down into his soul. He was being judged for all his worth and Chase found him… lacking. "You're not supposed to talk about it. Go watch the movie. You're, what, sixteen?"

"Fifteen. And what movie?"

"Fight Club."

"Right…" Kevin nodded just for the sake of it. He probably won't be watching that anytime soon. "I know we're not supposed to talk about… well, _that_. But I'm talking about Christine. Is that…"

"Why don't you ask me what you really want to know?" Chase said as he faced the front of the line. It was moving at a snail's pace with how many people there were. Wholesome families were trying to get their orders and it looked like only one person was inside the truck.

"What do you mean?" Kevin said through narrowed eyes.

"It's written all over your face," Chase placed his hands in his jeans pockets and leaned on his right leg. "You want to know something specific about Christine. _Specifically_ about Christine and I. Go on, stop being a pussy, and ask."

At first, Kevin didn't know what Chase was talking about. But he knew. He always knew. He just didn't want to admit it as Chase forced the thought out of the back of his mind and right into his face. He had been trying to get around asking directly and figure the answer out one piece at a time. But Chase saw through it immediately.

"Fine…" Kevin glanced over his shoulder and saw the girls back at the table. They were talking among themselves. Christine met his gaze before quickly averting her eyes. Lillian saw it, giggled, and said something back at her. Whatever was said made Christine blush in her blueish way and argue vehemently. When Keven turned back around, he asked, "Do you like Christine?"

"Not in the same way you do," Chase answered without any of his snark or sarcasm. "Lindsay is more my type."

"W-W-What?!" Kevin sputtered.

"She's _normal_ ," Chase turned his head to look right at Kevin. "You've no idea how rare that is in my life. Plus she seems to be a fun girl to hang out with."

Now what Kevin felt regarding Christine was switched towards Lindsay. Chase and Lindsay? He didn't want to see it but his mind replayed every instance today they were together. Every minute exchange they had. Not to mention there were a few points in time when those two were outside of Kevin's sight.

"Stop," Chase's tone fell flat. "Whatever you're thinking, just stop. I didn't come here to steal your girl. I already have enough to deal with with Lillian."

"L-L-Lindsay and I aren't dating or anything," Kevin denied and looked away. He heard Chase take a long, deep breath of air and released a stressed huff of air.

"Fuck it," he said, gaining a dirty look from the father in front of him. But Chase didn't care. "It's against the rules to tell you but I _highly_ doubt you'll ever figure it out on your own. Nor will you grow the balls to do anything about it even if you do. I am just… done with this teenage bullshit.

"Christine and Lindsay both like you. They want you to man the fuck up and confess to them. They know how much you like them both. Take what you want with that knowledge and do whatever you want with it."

Kevin glared at him. He was about to tell him where he can shove this joke of his. But the hard, annoyed glare from Chase made him stop. Chase was looking at him as if he were a complete idiot. As if Kevin had done something so stupid he was beneath bearating. This time, it was Chase who was ready to punch Kevin across the face.

"That… what?" Kevin breathed out.

"You heard me," Chase's voice was crisp and clear. "What are you going to do about it?"

Kevin shook his head, "I don't believe you. There's no way that… I mean, Christine is always so mean to me. I think the only reason why she came today was because she's more Lindsay's friend than mine. You've seen how many times she's picked on me today.

"And Lindsay? She's just a friend. We've been friends for so long I don't think we _can_ be boyfriend and girlfriend. I don't think she sees me as anything more than a friend. I mean, she's so… perfect! She's fun, always smiling, loves soccer— and she's great at it too! She's very popular at school, you know? N-No, you wouldn't. Well… she can get anyone she wants as a boyfriend."

"Do you know this for a fact or are these just what you want to believe?" Chase's expression fell into pity. He was looking down on Kevin… even when Kevin had a few inches on him. It really hurt when a short guy was looking down on you. "Have you ever bothered to ask them?"

"I-I think they've made things clear," Kevin looked away. "Just look at today with how they treat me—"

"Have you ever bothered to ask them?" Chase repeated the question. Not a single word changed in pitch or tone.

"...No," Kevin admitted. He then quickly added, "B-But that's not the problem. It's just… I can't just _ask_ them something like that. Not until I'm sure. And I'm sure they don't like me like that."

"You think that if you confess they'll stop being your friend?"

Kevin didn't answer.

"If they would stop being your friend over something like that, then they were never your friend in the first place. Maybe I'm full of it. You'll never know if you keep your head buried in the sand. But you'll also never move on. Regardless if I'm right or not, they'll eventually move on if you do nothing. And you'll always be lingering on these thoughts for the rest of your life."

"...And what if you're wrong?" Kevin asked after a moment.

"Ever see Lion King?"

"Yeah, why—?!" Chase smacked him in the back of the head. Hard. Kevin saw stars for a moment as his hand instinctively went to the sore spot. "What the hell was that for?!"

"That's it," Chase put his hand back in his pocket and gave a dispassionate shrug. "You'll get rejected. It'll hurt. Big fucking whoop. The pain will fade away. Not as fast as this but it'll go away eventually. You'll learn from it, move on, and find another girl. I won't lie and say you'll forget them. You never do. But it's better to be satisfied than miserable for the rest of your life."

Kevin was silent as he thought to himself… while still rubbing his head. It _really_ hurt and the pain wasn't going away. Regarding what Chase said, should Kevin listen to this guy and confess his feelings, one of two things might happen. He will either get the girl he has been crushing on for years… or she will reject him and they go their separate ways. He doubted they could be friends if she rejected him.

He wasn't sure what to think of Christine. He knew his feelings were nowhere near as strong as they were for Lindsay, but he couldn't deny that he cared a lot for the yukionna. She was a close friend of his who strong armed her way into his life. She would deny it but he saw her cheering him on during practices and track meets. And… a part of him wanted to believe she came today for him. A part of him knew she would show up even if Lindsay wouldn't.

Putting aside the fact he would be a total scumbag if he tried to get with both girls, if he confessed to Christine as well, how would she take it? He couldn't imagine her rushing into his arms and they become a couple. He couldn't imagine her accepting his feelings. At the same time… he couldn't imagine her leaving him even if she did reject his feelings.

"I'm not like you," Kevin said once the pain was dying down. "I can't exactly get a supermodel girlfriend. So I don't think your advice would work for someone like me."

"Lillian is so much better than a supermodel," Chase said, paused, and then added, "Don't tell her I said that. I'll never hear the end of it. And my advice is just advice. You can do whatever you want with it."

Kevin sighed. Their conversation was put on pause as they finally reached the window of the ice cream truck. The person working was a really cute girl close to his age with blonde hair and wine red eyes. Before he could ask for anything, she began placing things onto the window shelf. A neapolitan bar, a can of Coke, cherry Gatorade (Lindsay's favorite), a bottle of water, and a styrofoam cup of… hot chocolate.

"Uh…" Kevin began as he looked at the contents.

"Thank you Samantha," Chase said in monotone.

"You're quite welcome," the girl, Samantha, smiled lovingly at Chase. It was the same blissful, hungry, enraptured look Lillian gave him. "Enjoy it while you can. It's almost time."

"Yeah, I know," Chase grumbled as he took the soda can and cracked it open. He took a swig of it. And as he did, Samantha moved within the truck... Pulling a shotgun from a case and began to fill it with shells.

"Uhhhhhhhhh!" Kevin was beginning to sweat now. It had nothing to do with the desert heat. He was looking at Chase, giving a pointed glance with his eyes as to why the hot chick knew him, was pumping lead into a shotgun, and how she knew their order. Kevin had only now decided he wanted a water and _doubted_ they served hot chocolate but was going to ask anyways. And here they were.

"Try not to cause a scene," Chase said dryly. "I was hoping to leave sooner, but there's no helping it now. The Observatory branch stationed here are coming for me. Your friend, Juan, called them on me. He's salty I smashed his face through a screen."

"You… They… W-What?" Kevin's head spun around from Chase, to the girl with the shotgun, to the girls still sitting at the tables. Lillian spotted him, which made the other girls look his way. He looked around again and was relieved (though also surprised) that no one else was seeing this. Seriously, wasn't the ice cream truck busy not thirty seconds ago?!

"I'll be back in like five minutes," Chase said as though he were about to do something as trivial but necessary as taking out the trash.

When Kevin spun back around to demand answers… he was gone. The girl with the shotgun too. They simply were not there as if they had never existed before.

The can of Coke fell on the parking sidewalk and splashed over his shoes.

"...What?" Kevin squeaked.


End file.
